LAFC battles to a draw with Alajualense

Usually when analyzing draws, it comes down to how the match played out. If you erased a deficit, you would feel good about sneaking out with at least a point; if you allowed a team to come back and equalize, a team would feel down about letting points slip away.

There are other intangibles as well, such as how often a team possessed the ball and how many chances they got. In LAFC’s case in terms of the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions Cup series with LD Alajualense, LAFC surely felt frustrated with what played out at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night. Despite having a 76 percent possession rate and outshooting the vistors 31-4, LAFC only has the 1-1 draw to show for its effort.

“We tried everything,” LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “From minute one ……… it was a one-direction game, and it’s disappointing when we feel we could have had so much more, but its 1-1, we didn’t lose, and we need to relax as a group.”

Denis Bouanga saved the match for LAFC, as his strike early in the second half cancelled out a wonder goal from Alajualense’s Alejandro Bran late in the first half. The man of the match however was Alajualense keeper Washington Ortega, who made several key saves to preserve the result. 

After withstanding LAFC’s offense early in the match, Alajuelense surprised the hosts with a wonder strike in the 44th minute. Defender Ryan Porteous cut off a cross into the penalty area, heading a ball out of the box, Bran however tracked down the ball, then one-timed a right-footed volley from about 24 yards out, and the shot beat keeper Hugo Lloris far post at the lower corner, and Alajualense was surprisingly in front at the half. LAFC however finally made its pressure pay off in the 52nd minute. Son Heung-Min played a ball into the penalty area, and a dummy by Amin Boudri freed up Bouanga on the left side, and he fired a right-footed shot that beat Ortega far post to level the match.

LAFC dominated the match on offense the entire night. LAFC’s real chance came in the 29th minute, as Boudri switched a ball to an open Shane Palencia, and he fired a right-footed shot at goal, but Ortega got his fingertips on the ball, and parried the shot over the framework. Another good chance in the first half came in the 35th minute, as Bouanga dribbled into the penalty area and fired a left-footed shot, but Ortega again forced a corner kick with his fingertips. LAFC kept up the pressure after tying the match, as Bouanga headed a David Martinez ball towards goal in the 73rd minute, but Ortega redirected the ball over the end line. Ortega also stopped shots by Son and Bouanga late in the match.

The result surely favors the Costa Rican side, as Bran’s goal, an all-important road goal, puts them well in position to advance. Alajualense now needs just another draw in next Tuesday’s second leg in Alajuela, Costa Rica to advance to the quarterfinals. Until then, LAFC jumps back into MLS play on Saturday night, as they host St. Louis City FC.