In competitive games, records are meaningless. Competition shouldn’t matter either. It’s just two teams competing against each other out of pride and bragging rights.

But it’s all based on the assumption that both teams will take the field. US Open Cup.

The Galaxy, who had the worst start in their history, started with the first team knowing that the Open Cup probably represented their best shot at a trophy this year.

LAFC, the reigning MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield winners, have rested their regulars and set out with a squad of stand-ins and reserves. With the two-legged CONCACAF Champions League final kicking off next week, the team didn’t even bother to dress their two designated players, Carlos Vela and Denis Buanga, who combined scored 14 of the team’s 23 goals in MLS play.

No wonder Team A beat Team B thanks to goals from Tyler Boyd and Ricky Puig at the beginning of the second, they helped bring the Galaxy to 2-0 win at the half-empty BMO stadium.

“It doesn’t matter who is on the other side. It doesn’t matter who’s playing,” said Galaxy coach Greg Vanni, whose team desperately needed a win – any win. “These games are always difficult.

“You’re on the road against your opponent and it’s a knockout type game. And it’s a difficult place to play, right? They don’t lose many games here.”

In fact, Tuesday’s loss was LAFC’s first home loss to an MLS rival since October. It was also Galaxy’s eighth win in 19 El Trafico games – no team has beaten LAFC more often – sending the team to the Open Bowl quarter-finals next month against winners Colorado Rapids-Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. In the evening.

Most importantly, however, this win gives a huge boost to a team that sits bottom of the MLS standings with two wins in 13 games and is undefeated in two Open Cup matches.

“That keeps us in this competition. We are three games away from a potential trophy,” Vanni said.

“It doesn’t matter what trophy, it’s a trophy. For us, each of these games is important for different reasons. And ultimately it’s also about trying to win a trophy and cement some legacy with this group as we try to get back into the league. [race]”.

This is a race in which LAFC is in the lead. Despite being knocked out of the Open Cup in a Round of 16 loss to Galaxy for the second time in as many seasons, he remains at the top of the Western Conference standings, having lost only three times in 20 games in all competitions this season. . With little to prove and the Champions League final just around the corner, LAFC coach Steve Cerundolo has decided to give his regulars a rest.

Despite this, LAFC dominated the early game due to a mistake by Galaxy goaltender Jonathan Klinsmann that nearly resulted in a goal in the 21st minute. But Galaxy defender Calegari got his body between Stipe Bueck’s shot and the open net to keep the game from scoring. Two minutes later, Klinsmann parried Kwadvo Opoka’s shot into the near post, then dived to the other post in the 30th minute to hit Mateusz Bogush’s free-kick from the height of the penalty area.

Shortly before half-time, Klinsmann, who posted a season-high six saves, made two spectacular stops seconds apart, absorbing a Bogusz shot from the top of the box, then jumped before an Opoka header from the rebound.

Galaxy’s best chance in the first half came from Puig’s penalty in the 34th minute. But LAFC goaltender Eldin Jakupović guessed right and softened the blow, extending Galaxy’s goalless streak away to 627 minutes, which was in the first half of Game 1 of the season.

The Galaxy took the upper hand in the second half as Boyd came off the bench and put the team on the scoreboard with a left foot kick from the center of the box four minutes later. Galaxy only had to wait three minutes for their next away goal, with Puig doubling the lead in the 52nd minute.