Fans shocked by 'MLS limbs' when Gareth Bale scored 127th-minute goal for LAFC, fair play

Fans are in awe of the so-called 'limbs' when Gareth Bale scored a dramatic last-minute equaliser before LAFC beat Philadelphia on penalties to lift the MLS Cup.

It really was a Hollywood ending at the Banc of California Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

With the likes of Justin Bieber, Magic Johnson and Will Ferrell in attendance for the final against Jim Curtin's side, LAFC and Philadelphia were tied at 2-2 when Bale entered the fray with 97 minutes played.

Despite his impact late on, it looked like the U's had won the cup when defender Jack Elliott scored four minutes into added time in extra time.

But like he has done on so many occasions down the years, the man for the big occasion headed home to make it 3-3 and the game went to penalties.

For years, the MLS has been mocked by fans for a lack of atmosphere but this was something else. 20,000 fans inside the the Banc of California Stadium erupted when the ball hit the back of the net.

Bale sprinted towards the corner flag as thousands celebrated like never before. What a moment.

Here's how social media reacted to the extra time scenes.

One fan commented on the video, saying: "Give them some credit, great set of limbs there," while another said: "These limbs are better than 90% of any team I’ve seen over the last few years."

A third wrote: "Fair play. It's very good seeing USA football get to this point."

A fourth said: "LAFC fans put half of the Premier League to shame, look at the limbs."

LAFC went on to win the penalty shootout thanks to substitute goalkeeper John McCarthy, who made two crucial saves before Ilie Sanchez bagged the final spot-kick.

After the full-time whistle, an elated Bale said: "The reason why I came here was to try and help the club win the MLS Cup.

"You can see how happy everybody is now, the fans, the city. It's important for this club to go to the next level, and I think by winning this trophy, it shows that we are.

"It's a club really on the rise doing the right things and it's an important trophy for us, especially the first one, first major trophy, and hopefully there's more to come in the future."

The Welshman celebrated with a familiar face in the LAFC dressing room.

Thoughts on the 'limbs' when Bale scored the equaliser?

Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: MLS

Topics: Gareth Bale, MLS

Jack Kenmare

Senior Journalist at SPORTbible with a passion for long-form journalism. Almost 10 years’ experience across online and print.

@jackkenmare_