Episode 60 - Family Ties

Send us a textOn our latest episode of Defenders of the Banc, we hit the big 6-0! 60 episodes of Defenders, and this one is special for the Bradley family. Our intrepid leader, Bob, matches wits against Toronto FC and their midfielder, his son, Michael, for the first time at Banc of California Stadium. With history in our sights and the playoffs inching (or as Filly says on this episode, millimetering) closer, we recap the 1-1 tie with Toronto. For what seemed like the seventh or eighth time in a row, LAFC falls behind early. A deflection in the box fell to the feet of USMNT stalwart Jozy Altidore. His pass to Endoh led to a goal from a tough angle, and just like that, it's 1-0 Toronto after 20 minutes. However, that would be the end of the Toronto offense, as LAFC did not give up a single shot on goal for the remainder of the night!LAFC certainly rallied in the second half, looking a little smoother on offense, generating many more chances, and allowing the large foul disparity in the first half to even itself. However, it seemed like the FC Dallas game all over again, for despite plenty of chances, the score still stood at 1-0. Laurent Ciman, formerly of the Black and Gold, subbed on in the 76' to firmly park the bus and shore up a road win for Toronto. However, our game MVP, Latif Blessing, doesn't know when or how to quit, and his effort right before the death netted LAFC a much-deserved penalty kick. Carlos Vela stepped up and buried it right before the final whistle to move closer to the Golden Boot and the single season goal scoring record. Also on Episode 60, both Filly and Scarf address the rumors surrounding Adama Diomande and his leave from the team. Spoiler alert: We support you, Dio. The boys also recap LAFC's chase of individual and team records and the Supporters Shield race, share another event from This Day in LAFC History, and give a shout-out to the Black and Gold Running Club one episode later than they had planned.Find out how Scarf's Topps MLS card sale fundraiser for the Children's Oncology Group Foundation went! Find out which kit Filly received in his latest shipment from Away Days! Learn a little about the Southern California Seahorses! And maybe, just maybe, we can put the hashtag #BlameFilly to bed. The Shield is just one win away, Defenders! We'll be back in just a few days as the reunion tour continues. Houston, led by former striker(-ish) and local product Christian Ramirez, will be at the Banc on Wednesday just in time for us to celebrate the Black and Gold taking home our first piece of hardware. See you then! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.