Gareth Bale – who else? – warms up for the World Cup by hauling LAFC back from the brink

It just had to be Gareth Bale.

With his Los Angeles FC side heading for defeat in a wild, raucous MLS Cup final, the Welshman popped up with a dramatic 129th minute equalizer to spark pandemonium in the stands at the Banc of California Stadium.

He had done little since being introduced near the start of the second period of extra-time. A few nice touches but little else.

Bale though will always be a threat in the opposition box and just when it looked like Jack Elliott, Philadelphia’s London born defender, had won the game with an unlikely double the Wales captain was on hand to bring the game level again and into a penalty shoot-out which was won by sub keeper John McCarthy who produced two excellent stops to hand LAFC their first ever MLS title.

The stage was set at the Banc of California Stadium with superstar LAFC co-owners Larry Bird and Magic Johnson strolling onto the pitch to meet the players while in the stands, it was bedlam.

These are the kinds of occasions the likes of NBA legend Johnson and his ownership group dreamed of when they unhatched their vision for LAFC.

Star names like Bale and former Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini may have been on the bench to start with yet coach Steve Cherundolo has built a free scoring side who are easy on the eye.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, may have the second lowest wage bill in MLS but lead the attacking and defensive charts proving you don’t always need superstar names…