Billy Sharp has hat trick, Diego Fagúndez nets winner as Galaxy rally past Minnesota
Billy Sharp had his first career hat trick and Diego Fagúndez scored the winner as the Galaxy rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Minnesota United 4-3 on Wednesday night.
The Galaxy (8-11-9) took a 1-0 lead on Sharp’s first goal, unassisted in the 16th minute.
Teemu Pukki scored the equalizer unassisted three minutes later for Minnesota United (9-10-10). It was his fourth goal in nine appearances this season.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane gave Minnesota a 2-1 lead in the 41st minute when he took a pass from Hassani Dotson and scored. Hlongwane made it a two-goal lead at halftime, using an assist from Pukki in the fifth minute of stoppage time to find the net for an eighth time this season.
Sharp scored again, pulling the Galaxy within a goal in the 63rd minute with an assist from defender Maya Yoshida. Sharp scored the equalizer eight minutes later and doubled his goal total for the season in the process. Sharp, a 37-year-old rookie, was making his second start and sixth appearance. He last played in the English Football League in 2021.
Minnesota was forced to play a man down from the 74th minute on after Ethan Bristow picked up a second yellow card.
Most of Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning players have ended their boycott of the national team after the government intervened in reform talks.
Fagundez took advantage in the 82nd minute, using an assist from Tyler Boyd to score his first goal for the Galaxy. Fagundez had two goals in 19 appearances with Austin to begin the season. It was his third start and fifth appearance for L.A.
Jonathan Sirois finished with three saves for L.A. Dayne St. Clair saved six shots for Minnesota.
The Galaxy got back on track after theirsix-match unbeaten streak at home ended in a 4-2 loss to LAFC last weekend. It was the club’s longest unbeaten streak at home since a nine-match run in 2018.
Minnesota returns home to host St. Louis on Saturday. The Galaxy travel to play Austin on Sunday.
