LAFC began its quest for a third straight trip to MLS Cup with a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Game 1 of their Round One Best-of-3 Series on Sunday night at BMO Stadium. Denis Bouanga and Cristian Olivera scored to lead LAFC to the victory.
LAFC can now advance to the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals with a victory over the Whitecaps in Game 2 on Sunday, November 3, in Vancouver. A series deciding Game 3 will be played at BMO Stadium on Friday, November 8, if necessary.
LAFC opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Denis Bouanga converted a penalty kick following a handball in the box by former LAFC defender Tristan Blackmon. Bouanga, LAFC’s all-time leader in postseason goals, fired his shot past the dive of Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka giving the home side a 1-0 lead.
Just before the hour mark, LAFC doubled its lead with Cristian Olivera finishing a long passing sequence by firing a right-footed shot past Takaoka for his first-ever MLS postseason goal, making the score 2-0.
Three minutes later LAFC almost had a third, only for Mateusz Bogusz’s shot to hit the crossbar, keeping the lead at two.
LAFC all-time leading scorer Carlos Vela made his 2024 debut, coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute. It was Vela’s first game for the Black & Gold since the 2023 MLS Cup.
The Whitecaps pulled a goal back late in second-half stoppage time when Ryan Gauld hit a left-footed shot past LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris from the center of the box to make the score 2-1. However, that would be as close as the Whitecaps would get and LAFC was able to earn the victory.
Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 Series will be played at BC Place in Vancouver on Sunday, November 3. That game, which will be shown live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and FS1, will kick off at 5:45 p.m. PT.
NEWS & NOTES
- This is the second season in which MLS has used its current playoff format. LAFC is now 3-0-0 in Round One Best-of-3 Series games, with all three wins coming over the Whitecaps. LAFC has outscored the Whitecaps 8-3 in those matches.
- LAFC is now 3-0-1 against the Whitecaps this season in all competitions, including a 2-0-1 mark at BMO Stadium.
- In 2024, LAFC is 19-2-5 at home in all competitions.
- LAFC has now won seven straight games in all competitions, outscoring opponents 16-5 in those matches.
- Tonight’s game was LAFC’s 47th of the year in all competitions, and its 100th since the start of 2023.
- With the win, LAFC has now won 30 games in 2024, going 30-9-8 in its 47 games.
- Denis Bouanga opened the scoring for LAFC in the 30th minute with the eighth postseason goal of his MLS career. He now has eight goals in nine playoff games with LAFC as well as eight goals in nine all-time games against the Whitecaps.
- In three MLS Cup Playoff games against the Whitecaps, Bouanga now has four goals.
- He is now 2-for-2 on penalties in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Bouanga’s eight postseason goals are the second-most in MLS since the start of 2018. Only Seattle’s Raúl Ruidíaz has more, with nine.
- Since the start of 2023, Bouanga has scored 66 goals for LAFC in 93 games. He scored 38 goals in all competitions last year and has 28 goals this year.
- Cristian Olivera scored his 14th goal of the year in all competitions. He scored six times in the regular season, four goals in Leagues Cup, three in the U.S. Open Cup, and now one in the MLS postseason.
- Olivera and Bouanga have each scored in all four competitions that LAFC has played in this year.
- Kei Kamara came on as a second-half substitute, becoming the third field player aged 40 or older to appear in an MLS Cup Playoff game. He joins Preki, who was the last to do so in 2003 with Kansas City, and Carlos Valderrama, who played five postseason games with Colorado in 2002 at the age of 41.
- Carlos Vela entered the game in the 86th minute, replacing Bouanga, to make his first appearance of the year.
- Four LAFC players made their MLS Cup Playoff debuts in the game; Olivier Giroud, Hugo Lloris, Marlon, and Lewis O’Brien.
