LAFC vs. Kansas City

With the Club World Cup approaching, LAFC looked to take care of business against Sporting Kansas City in its last league match before testing themselves against the best the rest of the world has to offer.

Kansas City made them work for it, but ultimately, LAFC got the job done. Led once again by Denis Bouanga, who had a goal and two assists, LAFC turned back a spirited challenge from Sporting, coming from behind to score three unanswered goals, and LAFC headed into the Club World Cup on a high note, a 3-1 win over KC at BMO Stadium.

Kansas City surprised LAFC in the 39th minute. Manu Garcia received a pass from Dejan Joveljic and dribbled towards goal, Garcia then passed to a trailing Joveljic, and the Serbian striker, who has scored plenty of big goals against LAFC dating back to his time with the LA Galaxy, took the ball into the penalty area and fired a right-footed shot past keeper Hugo Lloris into the back net to give Sporting a 1-0 lead. That lead however did not last long. LAFC got an all-important equalizer right before halftime, as Denis Bouanga sent a corner kick into the penalty area and Eddie Segura’s header got past keeper John Pulskamp far post to level matters going into the break.

Opportunity came knocking for LAFC starting in the 57th minute. It started when Bouanga deked Khiry Shelton, took the ball into the penalty area, attempted to do the same to Memo Rodriguez, but Rodriguez stuck his left foot out and took down Bouanga and referee Ricardo Montero blew his whistle and signaled LAFC to the penalty spot. Bouanga finished the job two minutes later, as he buried the penalty to his left while Pulskamp guessed wrong. LAFC sealed the win in stoppage time, as Bouanga played Marky Delgado down the left side, Delgado passed back to Bouanga, who then passed to Giroud, who had been trailing the play, and Giroud slotted a right-footed shot past Pulskamp into the back net to lock up the three points.