Union lose MLS Cup final heartbreaker to LAFC in penalty kick shootout after 3-3 tie

LOS ANGELES — The most extraordinary season in Union history came to an end in the most extraordinary possible way.

After two Jack Elliott goals brought the Union back from behind to take a 3-2 lead in extra time, former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale leaped over Elliott in the 128th minute to tie the game again and send it to penalty kicks.

Former Union goalkeeper John McCarthy, a product of North Catholic High and La Salle, saved José Andrés Martínez and Kai Wagner from the penalty spot after Dániel Gazdag slipped on the spot and skied his shot. LAFC finished the job in the shootout from there to beat the Union in Saturday’s MLS Cup final in front of a deafening crowd of 22,384 at Banc of California Stadium.

Los Angeles’ Kellyn Acosta, who will be across the field from Bale when the U.S. plays Wales at the World Cup in two weeks, opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a deflected free kick. The Union equalized in the 59th through Gazdag, who stunned the raucous crowd into temporary silence — except for the hundreds of traveling Union fans in the southeast stands.

Just when it seemed the game might head toward extra time, things got wild. LAFC centerback Jesús Murillo gave the home team the lead in the 83rd minute, only to see Elliott — coincidentally wearing the same jersey number — head in a Kai Wagner free kick two minutes later.

After LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau was ejected for a red card foul in the 116th, Elliott poked home his second goal in the 120th. The Union fans in the crowd, including Rob McElhenny, were ready to celebrate. But Bale stole the show with just over 90 seconds to go.

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There wasn’t any doubt about Martínez’s foul on Cristian Arango that produced the free kick. But the Union were a little unfortunate with Acosta’s free kick, because Jack McGlynn jumped to head it wide but ended up deflecting it past a stranded Andre Blake.

The Union’s best chance of the first half came in the 43rd minute, when Julián Carranza and Mikael Uhre got loose on a breakaway and Crépeau came off his line to get in the way. It was just enough to stop Uhre from scoring.

At first, everyone was shocked that Gazdag was onside for his goal. But he clearly was, and was in the perfect position to latch on to Martínez’s long-range shot as it came his way.

Gazdag turned on a dime, took one touch, and buried his 24th goal of the year.

In the 110th minute, Olivier Mbaizo hit a long clearance that Cory Burke raced on to after running by two defenders. Crépeau rushed off his line and upended Burke, and suffered a nasty leg injury — so bad that a cart had to come out to take Crépeau off the field. It was awful not just for him but for the Canadian World Cup team, where Crépeau could have been the starter.

Initially, referee Ismail Elfath only gave Crépeau a yellow card, but the video replay crew correctly upgraded it to a red for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.

When a goalkeeper is ejected, that team can bring in another goalkeeper but must sub off a different player. Coincidentally, the goalkeeper who came in was the Northeast Philly-born McCarthy. He was the star of the Union’s run to the 2015 U.S. Open Cup final, playing every game. In the final, Jim Curtin subbed him in just for the penalty kick shootout, and he made a save.

McCarthy went on to be the hero again, winning the game’s MVP honors for his shootout saves.

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Alejandro Bedoya was unable to play, so McGlynn had to step up in the biggest game of his career to date.

The deflection of Acosta’s free kick was a lowlight, but the lack of highlights wasn’t just on the teenager. Though he completed 47-of-53 passes and took one shot, LAFC’s terrific midfield trio of Acosta, José Cifuentes, and Ilie Sánchez made sure McGlynn couldn’t do much damage. Even left winger Denis Bouanga chipped in with some pressing when McGlynn was on the ball.

Defensively, McGlynn was very good: six recoveries, one block, and four duels won out of eight contested.

He played 84 minutes, then was subbed out for Paxten Aaronson right after LAFC went up 2-1.

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In what was likely his last game for the Union, Mbaizo had one of his biggest tests of the year at right back. Not only was Denis Bouanga at left wing for LAFC, but left back Diego Palacios is one of MLS’s best players at that position.

Any scouts who were watching — and surely any coaches with Cameroon’s national team — had to be impressed with what they saw. Mbaizo recorded 80 touches, 13 defensive recoveries, one clearance and one shot, and completed 33-of-47 passes.

This was also almost certainly Wagner’s last game with the Union too, as European teams have long been in line to sign him. Along with his free kick assist on Elliott’s first goal, Wagner recorded 94 touches, created three chances, won six of eight duels, and had 11 defensive recoveries, three interceptions, two clearances, and one block.