Artem Smolyakov and Cengiz Ünder each score in the first half as LAFC loses to San Diego FC 3-2 in its first trip to Snapdragon Stadium.

Typically, it takes a long time to establish a rivalry. But when you have two cities with a history of disdain like San Diego and Los Angeles, the process can be fast-tracked. San Diego FC’s first meeting with Los Angeles FC at Snapdragon Stadium sure had the feeling of something bigger than your run-of-the-mill early season Major League Soccer

It’s a culture battle as much as it is a sporting match. Add to that the fact that San Diego lost its NFL team, the San Diego Chargers, to LA, and it means even more for hardcore sports fans in the city when they can hang one over the state’s largest city.