Wait. No Home Games? No Friends?

New Stadium Opens... end of April?
Season starts... early March?
Ok, now what?

So. The Banc (the stadium) was not going to be ready until the 7th game of the season. Making the home opener April 29th, 2018... but the season started March 3rd and the first SIX games were going to be played AWAY, ugh. It was a weird time for my LAFC transition because other than my homie that helped me get my season tickets I didn't personally know anyone that was a fan so it was just me and my tv. I didn't even post much on social media, I didn't want to get judged by anyone for the switch... but here some of the memorable loner moments I spent watching this tem travel around.

The first match was against the 2017 Runners up, Seattle Sounders. I've had this realization a few times and I'll keep mentioning every time I come across a moment... but the weekend this match happened, I thought 'holy shit, this is going to be bigger than anticipated"
The build up from all the stories being posted all over social media Friday and Saturday from all the supporter groups and the 3252 that made the trip, fomo hit me HARD. I wanted to take the trip when I got the emails encouraging all season ticket holders to go on the trip but I thought damn, I am too socially awkward for me to take this trip with less 25 other LAFC fans I do not know. Little did I know it was actually hundreds of fans that took the trip up to Seattle.

Sunday came and I sat in my apartment and watch the absolutely unreal march to the stadium. This is something I've seen a couple MLS clubs and some of my favorite club around the world do, not my local team or not the team with the 22 years of building a fan base. It was the club that was playing their first ever game, damn this shit is going to be bigger than anticipated. Then, while I am glued to the tv watching this team play in all black playing fucking awesome soccer... Carlos Vela sees the run of Diego Rossi, he megs the Seattle defender with a perfect pass in Diego's path and with one touch from right outside of the penalty box Diego Rossi curls this incredible shot around the keeper for the teams first goal. The emotion that hit my damn soul to watch that ball hit the back of the net, watch the team celebrate together and the camera switch to the 3252 absolutely fucking LOSING it. The fans, team, goal and win was perfect and I enjoyed it dolo because I had no lafc friends yet hahahaha. I was only able to celebrate it with my old roommate because he was a Timber's fan and was always stoked to see Seattle lose. Win 1

The next game was crazy, 5 - 1 at Real Salt Lake. Again, watched this alone. It was an interesting game because they dominated that team (with your typical ref controversy, but LA was FAR superior)  Literally made a statement like Los Angeles has a new team, the Galaxy wasn't looking to good... and as expected in the chaotic and dramatic LA scene, here we go to Carson for the first time ever.

March 31st, LAFC travels to Carson... and here I am, the semi-quiet socially awkward new fan with no 3252 friends. I thought about buying a ticket up until the day off and decided not to go because I just unfortunately had no one that wanted to drop the $100+ to go with me, my brother in law was NOT going to go with me because he would not betray the Galaxy like that (loooolololol)
So I am home watching the chaos unfold on social media and I see (again, just like fucking Seattle) hundreds and HUNDREDS of LAFC fans take over a corner of the stadium and spread a good amount throughout the stadium as well. Here comes the thought again, oh my god, this is getting bigger than I could have expected. Game starts, the 3252 is all I can hear on tv and I am alone in my apartment losing my fucking mind. Then, Vela scores a goal that I can't possibly find the words to explain. It's beyond perfect, its unexpected, it was simply fucking STUNNING. The 3252 loses its absolute shit. THEN Vela scores another! a crazy chip that reminds us of a heartbreaking goal Gio scored against the US with Mexico... they go 2-0 at half and score a THIRD to go up 3-0 shortly after half. No Zlatan yet, no villain yet and LAFC is passing the ball around like a classic keep-away and the stadium erupts with the "ole" after every pass and I am going bonkers at home.

The rest of this game doesn't need any details haha the game ends 3-4, Galaxy. There's been many moments in my LAFC/3252 life where I sit and think, how are my feelings for this club this deep already? This game being up 3-0 just rubbing it in everyone's faces that ends with Zlatan making his Galaxy debut in the 2nd half, scores from 45yrds out (there was a foul before his kick by the way) and also scores the winner to put it 3-4 made me feel my first ever heartbreak with this club and it hit me so hard. From going from the highest of highs to the absolute lowest of lows. I was rocked but I knew this club was still it.

LAFC then goes off to Atlanta and gets destroyed! 5-0! Oh my god, does this team suck? can they play under pressure? Yes they can and went on to win 2-0 in Vancouver (tight goal from Ciman, but I hate Ciman now) and then 5-3 at Montreal (eh they kinda suck, they shouldn't have been to score 3)

And that ends my loner away days with a team that I am actually proud to watch. I made sure I watched every game that I could and I would sit and think damn, this team can ball and this is a different style of "football." In Bob We Trust.

Now we all turn to the end of April... 4/29/2018, my sister's 41st bday. Oh wait, No! The official first ever Home Opener for the Los Angeles Football Club in the heart of Los Angeles with their brand new beautiful stadium. Was still going to be a loner but excited to be with the 3252, finally.