The LAFC won the MLS Cup in a penalty shoot out. There is a 0:23
The script for the MLS Cup title win for LAFC was not written by Hollywood's best.
The LAFC were heavy favorites against the Philadelphia Union as they entered the rowdy stage of the Banc of California Stadium.
With the backdrop of LAFC's art Deco crest and iconography across the venue, the black-and-gold players and their Union opposition put on a performance that will go down as one of the greatest matches in the history of MLS
Dramatic goals became the main characters. LAFC took the lead twice, only to have Philadelphia come back and send the game into extra time. The match felt almost chess-like in extra time as both sides tried to avoid making mistakes.
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The plot started to careen off the tracks in the second half of extra time. A terrible injury for the LAFC player and a red card for the Union player was caused when the LAFC goalie sprinted off his line to stop the Union forward. With only 10 players on the field, head coach Steve Cherundolo was forced to bring on backup goalkeeper John McCarthy, a 30-year-old alternate who only appeared in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids in May.
McCarthy is an unlikely hero who happens to be from Philadelphia. Many MLS fans didn't know much about the goalkeeper who was playing lower league soccer a few years ago.
McCarthy stood tall in the net and then allowed a goal just minutes after coming on in the game. McCarthy initially saved a goal, but then scrambled and failed to stop a Union rebound in the 124th minute.
Even though a championship could slip through his hands, his redemption would still come. After Bale scored in the 128th to make it 3-3, McCarthy came to the rescue in the ensuing penalty shoot out for the title.
"For 10 minutes or 15 minutes, it was like a 'Halloween' movie," he said in the postgame news conference.
We finished with a film.
The penalty was taken by LAFC's Cristian Tello. Daniel Gazdag skied his chance into the stands.
McCarthy and LAFC were at the center of it all. McCarthy was flawless with two saves that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The Los Angeles club won their first-ever MLS Cup trophy and a league double with a stunning victory that was capped off by a trio of penalty kicks.
The effort was immense from nearly all members of LAFC's squad, but no one was more significant than the backup goalkeeper who stopped two penalty shots in the path to a championship.
McCarthy had tears in his eyes as the Banc of California Stadium erupted into cheers and applause and he received the MLS Cup Most Valuable Player trophy.
"It still doesn't make sense, it still doesn't add up," said the goalkeeper in the post-game press conference.
Cherundolo was happy when talking about the hero of the night.
The head coach said that John is one of the heartbeats of the team. John could be a top goalkeeper for us.
McCarthy was still processing his emotions when he realized how important this moment was for him.
McCarthy has not lifted a trophy since he was 15. Being a Philly kid and playing against my hometown team is something special.
LAFC's leading men and celebrities will once again be the center of attention when the season comes around. Hundreds of thousands will show up to LAFC's games at the Banc of California Stadium and venues across the country to see the near-theatrical talents of Vela, Bale, Chiellini and others who are undoubtedly the names placed over the marquees and banners.
That's the way of the usual football script, but Saturday night, the evening belonged to an unassuming lead character who rose as the best player on the biggest stages in American soccer.
McCarthy noted at the end of the news conference that it was a moment that he had dreamed of as a child.
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