In a late-night MLS match between Sporting Kansas City and the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Western Conference battle ended in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night in Carson, California. Alan Pulido played a crucial role in the match, scoring both goals for Sporting KC.
Pulido opened the scoring in the 12th minute, assisted by Erik Thommy and Dániel Sallói, giving Sporting KC a 1-0 lead. However, the Galaxy’s defender MartÃn Cáceres equalized in the 24th minute, with an assist from Douglas Costa, scoring his second goal of the season.
In the 64th minute, rookie Preston Judd put the Galaxy in the lead with his second goal of the campaign, assisted by Riqui Puig. The match seemed to be heading towards a Galaxy victory until the first minute of second-half stoppage time when Alan Pulido converted a penalty kick to secure a 2-2 draw for Sporting KC.
Pulido’s second goal was his seventh of the season, and he extended his scoring streak to four consecutive matches, which is a career-high for him. Despite Pulido’s efforts, neither goalkeeper had a particularly busy night, with Jonathan Bond making three saves for the Galaxy, while Kendall McIntosh didn’t have to make any saves for Sporting KC.
Sporting KC’s struggles on the road continued, as their record stands at 1-9-9 in their last 19 away matches in all competitions. However, they maintain a decent record against LA, with a 3-0-3 record in their last six matches against the Galaxy, including a scoreless draw earlier in the season.
The Los Angeles Galaxy had recently suffered a 1-0 home loss to Charlotte, but they managed to avoid being shut out in consecutive matches at home, a feat they hadn’t achieved since 2019.
Looking ahead, Sporting KC will return home to face the Chicago Fire, while the Galaxy will travel to play against the Colorado Rapids, both matches taking place on Saturday.
