The big striker began his first MLS game on the bench, but scored the equalizer and the winner as the LA Galaxy stormed back from a 3-0 deficit for an improbable 4-3 victory over their local rivals Los Angeles FC.
After entering in the 71st minute, Ibrahimovic struck a brilliant 35-yard drive just six minutes later to level the scoreline at 3-3, catching LAFC goalkeepr Tyler Miller off his line.
But Ibrahimovic was not done. In the 91st minute, he beat Miller again, this time to a header, to put the Galaxy in front for the first time all contest, putting the capper on the shocking comeback.
“They were saying, ‘We want Zlatan, we want Zlatan,’ so I gave them Zlatan,” Ibrahimovic told FOX after the game.
The Galaxy appeared to be headed toward an ugly defeat in their first ever meeting with LAFC, having fallen behind 3-0 early in the second half.
Carlos Vela had a first-half brace to put LAFC off to a flying start and an own goal early in the second half appeared to set the expansion side on their way to a statement victory.
But the Galaxy pulled one back in the 61st minute Sebastian Lletget cut it to 3-1.
Ibrahimovic entered with the side still down 3-1, but contributed to the build up to the Galaxy’s second goal as Chris Pontius put home a diving header to cut the deficit to 3-2.
