LAFC won its fourth straight game in all competitions, all within a span of eleven days, by defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-0 at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. The Black & Gold improved to 17-8-7 in MLS play, for 58 points, with two games remaining.
The win kept LAFC in second place in the Western Conference, and clinched home-field advantage for the Black & Gold in its Round One Best-of-3 Series in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, which begin on Friday, October 25.
Playing its eighth match in 29 days, LAFC got the opening goal from David Martínez in the 14th minute, when the 18-year-old forward drove home a rebound after SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia had parried away a penalty kick attempt by Denis Bouanga. Cristian Olivera added to the lead in first-half stoppage time, scoring his sixth regular-season goal of 2024 by finishing a pass from Bouanga at the top of the six-yard box to give the Black & Gold a two-goal advantage going into the second half.
Defender Aaron Long, wearing the captain’s armband, put his stamp on the match in the 69th minute, curling in a right-footed shot from the top of the penalty area for his first goal in an LAFC shirt and his first MLS goal since August 2022.
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris saved all four of Kansas City’s shots on target to register his 11th clean sheet of the season, setting a single-season club record.
Next up, LAFC will travel to Vancouver to play a rescheduled MLS regular-season match against the Whitecaps on Sunday, Oct. 13. That game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. PT from BC Place in Vancouver and can be seen live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
NEWS & NOTES
- LAFC is now 17-8-7 on the season for 58 points. The 17 wins and 58 points both rank third in club history, behind the 2019 Supporters’ Shield winners (21 wins, 72 points) and the 2022 Shield and MLS Cup winners (21 wins, 67 points).
- Tonight’s win was LAFC’s seventh road win of the year in MLS play. This is the fourth time in seven years that LAFC has won seven or more league games away from home. Only the 2019 and 2022 teams won more (eight each).
- Saturday’s win came in Steve Cherundolo’s 100th MLS regular-season match as LAFC’s head coach. The 177 points LAFC has earned under Cherundolo in his first 100 games ranks third all-time in MLS history. LAFC’s 52 wins in Cherundolo’s first 100 games are the second-best total in league history.
- Bouanga’s assist to Olivera was his 11th of the MLS regular season, adding to Bouanga’s single-season career high. Prior to last season, when Bouanga recorded eight assists for LAFC, he had never collected more than six assists in seven seasons in France’s top divisions (Ligue 1 and Ligue 2).
- Bouanga’s saved penalty was the first PK he has missed since joining LAFC in 2022. He had been a perfect 10-for-10 on penalties in MLS play prior to Saturday night, and had not missed a penalty as a professional since a Nov. 2020 match in France’s Ligue 1.
- LAFC is now 8-4-2 vs. SKC all-time. LAFC has conceded only one goal to SKC this season over three matches and 300 total minutes, in all competitions. The clubs played to a 0-0 draw in March in regular-season play; and LAFC defeated SKC 3-1 in the U.S. Open Cup Final on Sept. 25, after 30 minutes of extra time.
- Bouanga remains in a two-way tie for second place on the 2024 MLS goal scoring chart with 19 goals, four behind league leader Christian Benteke of D.C. United (23 goals). Columbus’ Cucho Hernández also has 19 goals.
- Hugo Lloris recorded his 11th clean sheet in 31 regular-season games in 2024. Lloris’ 11 clean sheets are an LAFC single-season record, and the second-most for an LAFC goalkeeper, all time (Tyler Miller, 19).
