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'We are a really good team' - Carlos Vela hails LAFC after scoring stoppage-time penalty to send side top

Defending champions LAFC have pushed themselves to the top of the Western Conference with a 2-1 stoppage time win against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Win 2-1 against SJ Earthquakes
Vela scores stoppage-time winner
Top of Western Conference

WHAT HAPPENED? After San Jose equalized in the 51st minute, it looked almost inevitable for the game to end in a draw, until Carlos Vela won and scored the winning penalty in the 95th minute of the game. The win helped LAFC take the top step of the 2023 Western Conference as Seattle Sounders lost 2-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps.

WHAT THEY SAID: “I think everybody is really happy in the point and in the place we are right now, because we saw other years, teams playing different competitions at the same times and struggling most of the time,” Vela said.

“And in the way, we are managed – games, minutes, tiredness and everything, I think we are doing a really good job.

“The only thing we can say is like, we are a really good team. I think every single player is doing his part. He's trying to help, he’s trying to be positive. When you don’t start you have to be ready to finish the game… When you play as a team you have really more chances to be in the position we are.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The win was an important one for the Black & Gold as they head into one of their busiest periods as they play six games in 19 days. It also pushed them back to winning ways, having drawn against Peter Vermes' Sporting KC in midweek.