LAFC in cruise control against Orlando City

Things could not have gone anymore perfectly for LAFC than they did on Saturday night.

LAFC jumped on Orlando City from the start, scoring early in the first half and never let up. A five-goal explosion in the first half set the tone, and LAFC not only remained undefeated in the season, but also kept its league shutout streak intact with a resounding 6-0 win at BMO Stadium.

“We never put our guard down,” LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “We have a very humble group, and our group doesn’t get too high or too low, and that is a strength of ours.”

Denis Bouanga was the catalyst as he has always been. Bouanga recorded a hat trick in the match, but perhaps more unbelievable than the hat trick himself was the pace at which he scored those goals, as all four goals came in a stretch of eight minutes. The only other LAFC player who had a fantastic night was Son Heung-Min, who had four assists in the match, including all three of Bouanga’s goals.

LAFC got going just seven minutes into the match. Shane Palencia sprung Son down the right side, and despite Orlando’s protest managed to keep himself onside, Son touched into the penalty area, then played a short cross into the six-yard box, LAFC’s Nathan Ordaz and Orlando’s David Brekalo tried to get to the ball, and in the case of winning the battle but losing the war, Brekalo beat Ordaz to the ball, but the deflection went LAFC’s way, as the ball went into the back net for an Orlando own goal.

Then it was Bouanga’s time to shine. Bouanga’s first goal came in the 20th minute, as Son sprung him forward, Bouanga then chipped a ball off its right foot at the tip of the 18-yard box that sailed over keeper Maxime Crepeau into the back net. It took just three minutes for Bouanga to make it a brace, and it occurred in almost the same fashion, as Son again sprung him forward, though Bouanga had to go a little longer, but nevertheless, he dribbled into the penalty area, made a cutting move to evade Orlando defender Nolan Miller, then fired a right-footed shot that lasered past a flat-footed Crepeau far post. Bouanga capped off his red-hot run in the 28th minute, as he pounced on an errant pass from Iago Teodoro, touched a ball to Son, who then played Bouanga into the penalty area and Bouanga slotted a right-footed shot past Crepeau into the back net.

Not satisfied with scoring goals, Bouanga played the role of helper on LAFC’s next goal. Bouanga sent a ball into the penalty area, Son tracked it down to the end line, sent a ball into the six and Palencia one-timed a shot past Crepeau near post, which capped off LAFC’s torrid first half. The second half was mere window dressing for LAFC, as they capped off the scoring in the 70th minute, as Jacob Shaffelburg sent a left-footed cross into the penalty area and Tyler Boyd headed a ball past Crepeau into the back net.

“We want to take every game seriously,” Palencia said. “What have have in our heads is always be humble (and) work hard no matter what the score, what’s the rival and no matter how we play.”

LAFC jumps back into CONCACAF Champions Cup play, and it will be a doozy, as they host the first leg against Liga Mx powerhouse Cruz Azul on Tuesday night.