Furious rally sees LAFC through to knockout stages

All seemed lost for LAFC.

Trailing by two goals late in the second half of its final Leagues Cup group stage match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, a regulation loss would have endangered LAFC’s chances of advancing to the knockout stages. However, a goal from Kei Kamara late in the second half, followed by a Mateusz Bogusz header literally at the death saved LAFC chances, and while it didn’t get the ultimate result, as they fell short 4-2 in the shootout, the points gained in the 2-2 regulation draw surely felt like a sigh of relief for LAFC.

“A really good response from the guys,” LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead said. “Not a great start, weird first goal, got beat on a set piece and tried to respond. I thought the guys stuck with it. Lots of numbers to try to break through, [but]they sat back so deep. To be able to find two that late in the game is huge. Great resilience.”  

The result, which leaves LAFC at four points, seals LAFC advancement to the knockout stages of the tournament. What’s left to be determined though is will AFC go through as the winner of its group, and that will be decided on Saturday, as the Whitecaps will host Tijuana. A win by Vancouver on Saturday makes them the winner of the group.

The unlikely comeback started in the 88th minute with a rather simple play. Denis Bouanga sent a cross from the left side, though with his right foot, but the cross was still effective, as Kamara outjumped Whitecaps midfielder Mathias LaBorda and keeper Isaac Boehmer to head the ball into the back net to pull LAFC back within a goal.

Still, even with five minutes of stoppage time, Vancouver figured to have the match well in hand. The Whitecaps held the lead going into the final minute when LAFC made one last push. Eduard Atuesta played a ball forward to Shane Palencia, who then crossed from the right side to the outer side of the penalty area,  David Martinez sent a volley off the turf, but towards the penalty area, right to Bogusz and he headed a ball past keeper Boehmer into the back net to sent BMO Stadium into a frenzy. Vancouver however saved face in the ensuing shootout, as Boehmer denied Kamara on LAFC’s second kick and Bogusz skied his penalty into the 3252 supporters group, while the Whitecaps converted all of its penalty attempts to salvage the two points and keep themselves alive for a chance to advance out of group play.

“The last 15 minutes is kind of what we do, especially when we’re losing we have to risk more and put more forward,” LAFC defender Jesus David Murillo said. “We sacrificed a bit more and luckily we got the draw. We came out with the draw, didn’t get the extra point, now we get to rest and recover and work on the mistakes we had tonight.”

It looked like Vancouver would win the match in regulation based on the way it came out in the first half. The Whitecaps took the lead in spectacular fashion four minutes in, as Shane Berhalter blasted a right-footed volley from about 35 plus yards out that sailed past keeper Abraham Romero far post to stun the home team and crowd. The Whitecaps then doubled its advantage in the 17th minute, as Ranko Veselinovic headed a corner kick by Berhalter past Romero far post to stake Vancouver to the lead.