LAFC advanced to the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals for the third consecutive season with a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the deciding Game 3 of their Round One Best-of-3 Series on Friday night at BMO Stadium. Mateusz Bogusz scored the game’s only goal to help LAFC win the series two games to one, setting up a meeting with the Seattle Sounders at BMO Stadium on either November 23 or November 24 and moving LAFC one step closer to a record-tying third consecutive MLS Cup appearance.
Following a scoreless first half, LAFC began to control play with Timothy Tillman and Denis Bouanga each having chances to put the home side on the scoreboard in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. The breakthrough would finally come in the 62nd minute when Bogusz scored the first postseason goal of his MLS career to give LAFC a 1-0 lead. Aaron Long started the sequence that would lead to the goal, winning a header near midfield. The Whitecaps’ Andres Cubas attempted to control Long’s header but could only redirect it into the path of Bogusz, who collected the loose ball and dribbled between a pair of defenders before slotting a low, left-footed shot inside the far right post to make the score 1-0.
Vancouver managed just two shots over the final 30 minutes as the Black & Gold defense, in combination with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, secured the shutout to clinch the series.
NEWS & NOTES:
- LAFC has qualified for the Western Conference Semifinals for the third consecutive season. It is the only club in MLS to reach this round of the postseason in each of the last three years.
- The Black & Gold has knocked Vancouver out of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, winning four of the five postseason games that the two sides have played.
- LAFC finishes the year 4-1-1 against the Whitecaps, including a 3-0-1 mark at BMO Stadium.
- LAFC played its 49th game of the year in all competitions tonight, collecting a 31-10-8 record in that time. The Western Conference Semifinal against Seattle will be LAFC’s 50th game of the year, a milestone that the club will reach for the second straight year, one that no other MLS club has reached in league history.
- LAFC has won 20 games at home this season, collecting a 20-2-5 record at BMO Stadium compared to 11-8-3 on the road.
- Tonight was the 15th MLS Cup Playoff game in LAFC history. The club is now 9-5-1 in those games, including a 7-2-1 mark at home.
- Mateusz Bogusz scored the game’s only goal in the 62nd minute. It was the first MLS Cup Playoff goal of his career and his 20th in all competitions this year.
- In addition to his goal today, Bogusz also scored 15 regular-season goals, three Leagues Cup goals and one Open Cup goal.
- This was the third different competition in which he scored against the Whitecaps this year, scoring in each regular-season meetingwhile also adding a goal in the 2-2 draw between the sides in Leagues Cup.
- Bogusz joins Denis Bouanga and Cristian Olivera as having scored in all four competitions - MLS Regular Season, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup and Leagues Cup - that LAFC has played in this year.
- Bogusz is the 15th different LAFC player to score a postseason goal for the club dating back to 2018.
- Bouanga has appeared in and started all eleven MLS Cup Playoff games that LAFC has played since the start of the 2022 postseason. This is just the second time that he has been held without a goal in consecutive games. He has never gone three straight playoff games without a goal.
- Hugo Lloris made two saves for his first postseason shutout of the year. He finished second in MLS with 12 clean sheets during the regular season and has 17 shutouts in all competitions in 2024, adding four in Leagues Cup and one in the Open Cup.
- Steve Cherundolo now has 80 wins in 143 matches in all competitions as LAFC head coach.
