Defenders of the Banc - The LAFC Podcast

Send us a text LAFC takes on Tigres in the Campeones Cup, a one-off match pitting last year's MLS Cup winner against last year's Campeon de Campeones in Liga MX. We know all about Andre-Pierre Gignac and Nahuel Guzman, but who else is going to be a factor on Tigres? What are the matchups to watch? And how do the Defenders think LAFC will fare in yet another chance to hoist hardware in 2023? Check...

Send us a text LAFC finds themselves drenched in rains of Ophelia as they squared off against the Philadelphia Union in their fortress at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. A hard fought stalemate secures LAFC another point on the road which has been a challenge all season.  Follow Filly as he takes you along his quick and to the point recap of this match.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See p...

Send us a text Step right up and you'll hear a preview of LAFC's upcoming match vs the Union of Philly from our very own Filly! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a text LAFC traveled to St. Louis for the very first time in club history, poised for a showdown against current West #1 St. Louis City SC. While Scarf (and Apple TV) hoped for a high-scoring affair, it turned out to be a defensive struggle in the Show Me State. It's a pod about a 0-0 game! Woo! Tested early, Maxime Crepeau made four big saves to preserve the shutout. Several LAFC players...

Send us a text Filly and Scarf preview LAFC’s upcoming match w/ Western Conference Leaders, St Louis.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a text The LA Derby never disappoints. Sure, the result might not always fall in our favor, but the excitement, the buildup, the anticipation, and the energy of the matchup with Carson is usually exceeded only by the football played on the pitch. It's very safe to say that, for Episode 275, this version of the derby definitely didn't disappoint.  LAFC took the lead twice, first on a Bouang...

Send us a text Filly and Scarf preview LAFC's upcoming home match vs their bitter rivals, LA Galaxy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a text It wasn't supposed to go like this. A loss to Charlotte on the heels of Messi coming to town? Messi Magic overwhelming LAFC at home? Portland punishing LAFC at Providence Park? No, no, and NO. Here on Episode 274, we try to figure out what's rotten in the state of the Black and Gold as LAFC falls in Portland, 2-0.  Yes, LAFC came into the match without five players due to internatio...

Send us a text The stage was set for a good ol'-fashioned Hollywood showdown: Messi, Busquets, Alba, and Martino against Vela, Bouanga, and the chorus of the Black and Gold Faithful. Which set of star power would show up on Apple TV's biggest night since Messi's debut? It wasn't LAFC. Jordi Alba opened his Inter Miami account, Lionel Messi dished out two assists, and his bodyguard made perhaps the...

Send us a text For the 1st time OMS is available via your favorite podcast platforms because this game is important. As per usual, Filly and The Scarf preview LAFC's upcoming match vs Inter Miami. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a text It's Episode 272 of Defenders of the Banc, now heard in Fiji! You know what they don't have much of in Fiji? TURF! LAFC falls to yet another inferior club on turf, this time in Charlotte. Listen as we recap and rant about the road loss.  LAFC played a dismal first half, falling behind 1-0 after a series of turnovers and not doing a whole lot on the offensive end. When was the last t...

Send us a text Finally... MLS has come back... to BMO Stadium! It had been quite a while since LAFC had played an MLS regular season match at BMO, and boy did it feel good to be back! Olly's flying, Carlos is scoring, smoke is popping in the North End... the good times are back! LAFC hammers Colorado 4-0.  Though it may have been a somber day in LA as we remember Kobe Bryant on his birthday, LAFC...

Send us a text This was not how it was supposed to go. A match at the Rose Bowl? Blowing a 2-goal lead with less than 25 minutes to go? No Vela AND no Chiqui? However you slice it, it's an unceremonious exit for LAFC as they fall to Monterrey, 3-2.  LAFC raced out to a 2-goal lead behind the skillful PK of Denis Bouanga and the banger of a golazo by Mati Boguesz. But the entire second half belonge...

Send us a text In what was a homecoming of two of our beloved former sons of the Black and Gold, LAFC was anything but hospitable in taking out RSL, 4-0, to move on to the Round of 8 of the 2023 Leagues Cup. LAFC dodged a few bullets from RSL in the first half before unloading a barrage on the visitors in the second half. Mati sprung Denis en route to our first goal, and just five minutes later, J...

Send us a text On this episode of Defenders, we experience a lot of firsts! First Leagues Cup match, first pitch pigeon, first pod with Panda, and  we got our first Touchdown in our 7-1 sin against FC Juarez. But more importantly than that we send out many thoughts and prayers for Papa Scarf and employ the millions…..to join us in helping rally behind JR “The Scarf” and his family during this diff...

Send us a text As the All-Star Break looms, LAFC heads north to take on the Loons. Playing their 33rd match of the season (that's a record), the Black and Gold's affair with Minnesota is our focal point for Episode 267.  The first half belonged to Emmanuel Reynoso, Minnesota's talented talisman. Despite plenty of opportunities, the home side was still scoreless after 20 minutes. Carlos Vela's beau...

Send us a text LAFC headed back to BMO to take on St. Louis City SC for the very first time in club history. Would LAFC continue their dominance over expansion clubs, or would the top club in the West come into our house and take all three points? The first half happened. We promise. In order for the second half to be played, there has to be one half before, and there was. However, very, very litt...

Send us a text For just about everywhere else in the US, July 8 is smack in the middle of summer. At BMO Stadium, however, July 8 marked the return of Fall, as "Air Senegal" himself, Mamadou Fall, made his return to the Black and Gold after a loan spell in Spain with Villareal. Needing depth at CB, Steve thrust him into the XI for our match against San Jose.  Both superstars, Cristian Espinoza and...

Send us a text Here on an impromptu but necessary Episode 264, we celebrate the Black and Gold tenure of Kwadwo "Mahala" Opoku. The striker from Accra, Ghana with an electric smile gave LAFC four fantastic seasons, appearing in 79 total matches, scoring some absolute bangers, and making lifelong fans of us all. We break down Mahala by the numbers, show some of his game-winning goals, chat with man...

Send us a text It was a banner day for MLS, putting two of the marquee franchises in the league on display in front of over 82,000 in Pasadena. It was a banner day for Carson, as they dredged up the ghosts of seasons past to revel in what once was at their old stomping grounds. It was a banner day for The 3252, as their performance amongst an MLS-record attendance crowd was something every single...

Send us a text Episode 262 - No Ferreira, No Problem As Dallas Wins 2-0 LAFC looked to get back on the right side of things as they head to take on a Dallas club decimated by injuries and international duty. After a perplexing loss to Vancouver, this couldn't have been a better time to take on Dallas... right? Wrong. Despite missing Jesus Ferreira, Paul Arriola, Obrian, and others, Dallas took ove...

Send us a text On Episode 261, we break down the breakdowns in LAFC's upset loss at home to the Whitecaps, 3-2.  For the second time this season, a club has come into BMO and wrestled away their first road win of the season. This trend needs to stop. Vancouver struck early, as a third-minute goal off a set piece put the bad guys up 1-0. They would double their lead about 20 minutes later off a Bri...

Send us a text Back at BMO, a weary but dangerous LAFC squad looks for their second win in a row as the Seattle Sounders make their way down the coast. It's Episode 260, and on this one, you better be in your seats early! Just 54 seconds into the match, Mateusz Bogusz sneaks one past Stefan Frei from distance, and, surprisingly, that would be all LAFC would need in this midweek match with Seattle....

Send us a text LAFC is (finally) back on the winning side of things, and (finally) back atop the Western Conference standings after our 2-1 comeback win in Kansas City! After going down early from yet another PK, this time at the foot of Alan Pulido, Dolo pushed all the right buttons at the half, bringing on Vela, Murillo, and Hollingshead. A quick score to start the second half from Denil Maldona...

Send us a text Tired and weary from road trips, injuries, international breaks, and the most impacted schedule this side of Europe, our boys return home to face a familiar foe, the Houston Dynamo, who blew us out of Texas with their 4-0 win. Would tonight be different? Only a little.  We give up another goal within the first 30', as Micael is able to absolutely hammer one home off a rebound from a...