Rossi, LAFC humiliate Galaxy in electrifying El Trafico victory

The seventh installment of El Trafico might have been contested without its two biggest stars, but there was no shortage of fireworks Saturday night at the MLS is Back Tournament.

An own goal, penalties at both ends, a series of controversial decisions, and a quartet from Diego Rossi highlighted Los Angeles FC's frenzied 6-2 battering of rivals LA Galaxy in Group F play.

The Galaxy were without Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, who was ruled out with a calf injury shortly before kickoff, while LAFC forward and reigning MLS MVP Carlos Vela opted out to stay with his family.

For the second match on the spin, LAFC fell behind inside of 10 minutes when Latif Blessing redirected Sebastian Lletget's inquisitive pass into his own net.

That advantage lasted all of seven minutes after the Galaxy were the victims of a contentious penalty call on midfielder Perry Kitchen, who was adjudged by match official Allen Chapman to have hauled down Bradley Wright-Phillips in the area.

Despite protestations from Guillermo Barros Schelotto's men, Rossi calmly converted from the spot to knot the scoreline at a goal apiece.

The Galaxy were then awarded a penalty of their own just before the half-hour mark when Dejan Jakovic's studs caught Joe Corona on the shin. Cristian Pavon struck his attempt from the spot at 'keeper Pablo Sisniega, leading to a rebound and a second attempt that sailed wide.

However, Chapman again reached for his whistle and ruled that Sisniega came off his line, affording Pavon a second chance that the Argentine star on loan from Boca Juniors calmly deposited in the bottom left corner to give the Galaxy an unexpected 2-1 lead.

But Rossi again dashed the Galaxy's hopes seconds before the break with a cool finish after David Bingham's initial save landed in the Uruguayan's path.

Vela's deputy, Wright-Phillips, gave LAFC the lead in the 56th minute when the league's seventh all-time leading scorer needed only a half-yard of space to elude Giancarlo Gonzalez before firing beyond a lunging Bingham at the far post.

Rossi then scored a hat-trick with an unmarked right-footed effort 15 minutes from time, cementing a result that highlighted both the Galaxy's virtues and glaring shortcomings.

Second-half substitute Mohamed El-Munir made it 5-2 in the 80th minute before Rossi capped a club-record four-goal haul in added time, giving LAFC five unanswered en route to the 6-2 final.

With the victory, Bob Bradley's club gains a stranglehold on second place in the group on four points, two adrift of a Portland Timbers side that ensured its progression courtesy of a 2-1 win over Houston earlier Saturday. The Galaxy remain last on zero points.