Gareth Bale scored a last-minute equalizer in extra time before Los Angeles FC beat Philadelphia Union on penalties to win the MLS Cup.
The Wales captain was named on the bench for the game after recovering from a leg injury sustained in the play-offs.
But he came off the bench in the 97th minute to make it 3-3 at the death, minutes after Philadelphia had scored.
LAFC then won the shootout 3-0 to claim the title for the first time.
Bale’s return to fitness and his key contribution to the win bodes well for Wales, who announced their World Cup squad on Wednesday ahead of the tournament which starts in Qatar on November 20.
In one of the most memorable games in Major League Soccer history, LAFC took the lead in the first half when Kellen Acosta scored with a free kick.
Daniel Gazdag equalized midway through the second half when he parried a low shot from distance to fire in from close range.
Jesus Morillo thought he had won it in normal time for LAFC with a strike in the 83rd minute but Jack Elliott equalized two minutes later.
The drama continued into extra time as LAFC then sent off goalkeeper Maxime Cripeau for a foul, which required him to be taken off on a stretcher.
Elliott then scored four minutes into overtime to seal it for Philadelphia.
But, with nine minutes of extra time remaining, Bale’s dramatic 128th-minute equalizer took the game to penalties, where substitute goalkeeper John McCarthy made two crucial saves before Eli Sanchez scored from the decisive spot-kick. Kirke scored a memorable win for LAFC.
