LAFC outlasts Kansas City to win US Open Cup

Photo courtesy of LAFC

Ninety minutes may not have been enough to determine the winner of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, but LAFC made sure that 122 minutes was all they needed to win the tournament.

Omar Campos and Kei Kamara were the catalysts in the extra 30 minutes, as their respective extra time goals finally separated them from a game Sporting Kansas City squad, and LAFC earned its first major trophy since winning the 2022 MLS Cup with a 3-1 win over SKC.

“I think we were due, the boys really wanted it,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “They made it difficult on themselves. A theme the past couple weeks is that we’ve been hurting ourselves, we had a stint of this earlier in the season where teams were not beating us, we were beating ourselves. That is troublesome and frustrating, but it’s a good problem to have because it means we’re in control of our own destiny and this team understands that.”

Campos and Kamara were not the only key players for LAFC, as Olivier Giroud scored the game’s first goal, and his fellow French countryman, Hugo Lloris, came up with several key saves in the first half. The win marks LAFC’s first US Open Cup title and is the franchise’s fourth overall trophy. LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield in 2019 and 2022, and capped off the 2022 Shield with an MLS Cup title.

“I think we are all just very happy,” LAFC’s Timothy Tillman said. “We are happy to give something back to the club, to the fans. They have been suffering a lot. We love it right now. it’s a great feeling and I hope we will continue.”

After a back-and-forth 90 minutes, LAFC finally took control in stoppage time. LAFC edged back ahead in the 101st minute, as Campos dribbled inside the penalty area and fired a ball that beat keeper Tim Melia far post to give LAFC its second lead of the match. Kamara then put the trophy on ice for LAFC in the 109th minute, as Denis Bouanga tracked down a ball from Ryan Hollingshead, Bouanga kept the ball near the end line, then crossed into the box and Kamara headed a ball into the back net to give LAFC the vital two-goal cushion.

After a goal-less first half, LAFC got on the board in the 53rd minute. Sergi Palencia played Mateusz Bogusz into the penalty area, Bogusz played a short cross to Giroud just outside the six-yard box and Giroud slotted the ball past keeper Tim Melia in to the back net to give LAFC the lead despite KC’s protest that Giroud was offside. Kansas City however had a response in the 60th minute, as Johnny Russell sent Daniel Salloi into the penalty area, Salloi played a ball to a trailing Erik Thommy, and he shot a ball that got past keeper Hugo Lloris and snuck into the back net at the near post to tie the match.

“In the moments just before I scored, I was expecting the ball just before and it didn’t arrive – I was frustrated, but I stayed in the game and stayed offside and I had a good feeling and Mattie [Bogusz] did really well and I was so happy to score another goal in final for the team,” Giroud said. “Then after we had to suffer, one more time where were stayed together as a team, and we just really wanted to win the trophy.”

While the first half was scoreless, it was not for a lack of effort by either side. Kansas City had the game’s first scoring chance nine minutes in, as Salloi placed a perfect ball over the LAFC defense, which gave Alan Pulido a clear look at goal, but Lloris dove to his left and parried the ball over the end line. Lloris was needed again in the 23rd minute, as Johnny Russell launched a laser from about 25 plus yards out, but Lloris again was calm in the moment, as he again sent the shot over the end line.

Photo courtesy of LAFC

LAFC eventually had their say, though the end result was no different. LAFC had its first chance in the 31st minute, as Bouanga passed to Bogusz inside the penalty area, Bogusz was marked by Logan Ndenbe, Bogusz took the shot, but Ndenbe made himself big enough to block the shot out of bounds. Bouanga had a chance himself two minutes later, as he fired a volley from about 25 yards out, but Melia was able to parry the ball over the end line. Giroud had a chance himself in the 41st minute, as Bouanga dribbled down the left side, passed to Giroud, but his shot at the six-yard box was denied by Melia.