Ebobisse strike carries LAFC to eighth straight opening day win

Three things are becoming concrete in life; death, taxes and LAFC starting off its MLS regular season with a win.

Since entering MLS in 2018, LAFC has always started out every season in dream fashion.  Some of those wins have been easy, while other wins have provided some drama. Saturday afternoon’s opener for the 2025 MLS season landed more on the drama side, yet the result was the same as the seven previous MLS openers; three points. This year, it was Jeremy Ebobisse that played the role of hero for the Black and Gold, as his strike late in the second half carried LAFC to the 1-0 win at BMO Stadium.

“I don’t really believe in streaks, honestly,” LAFC head coach Steve Chreundolo said when asked about the opening win streak. “Every season is different. Every roster is different. So I’m not sure if there’s anything we can connect there. Other than BMO [Stadium] is a tough place to play and we have great fans.”

The moment came for Ebobisse and LAFC in the 78th minute. Mark Delgado sprung Denis Bouanga down the left side, Bouanga took the ball inside the penalty area, played a ball to Nathan Ordaz in the middle lane, Ordaz then passed to Ebobisse to his right, Ebobisse then unleashed a left-footed shot just outside the box that beat keeper Dayne St. Clair far post at the upper corner to vault LAFC into the lead. Minnesota did have a chance to escape LA with the draw in the 88th minute, as San Bin Jeong fired a shot right at the 18-yard line of the penalty area, the ball got past Lloris, but the LAFC keeper was saved by the framework, as Jeong’s shot bounced off the crossbar, the second time in the match MNUFC was denied by the framework (more on that later).

“I think the beautiful part in that team movement was that everyone made the right decision,: Ebobisse said. “Everyone acted decisively, one and two touch. When it’s time to take the guy on, take the guy on. [Nathan Ordaz] had a really good layoff with the right weight of the pass.”

Minnesota had the better chances throughout the first half. The first chance came just five minutes into the match, as Kevin Yeboah evaded an LAFC defender and ignited a break. Yeboah played Hassani Dotson into the penalty area, Dotson then played a ball towards a trailing Tani Oluwaseyi, the ball actually took a deflection, though it eventually got to Oluwaseyi, who then took a right-footed shot, but barely missed the near post.

Another chance for MNUFC came in the 13th minute. A back pass by LAFC’s Timothy Tillman went awry, as Yeboah got to the ball and immediately dribbled towards goal. Yeboah got close enough, then fired a shot just outside the 18 that got past Lloris, but did not get past the framework, as the ball hit off the far post and harmlessly back into play. Minnesota’s next chance after that, which came in the 15th minute, was rather fluky, as Ryan Hollingshead tried to clear a ball out of the penalty area, but his clearance went off Yeboah and went dangerously towards goal, but an alert Lloris calmly caught the ball.

“I felt like it was a game that we were in all the way through and we’ve obviously had a couple of really clear-cut, big chances early on in the game,” Minnesota head coach Eric Ramsay said.

LAFC will quickly turn its attention back into CONCACAF Champions Cup play, as they host the second leg of its matchup against the Colorado Rapids. LAFC heads into that match looking to erase a 2-1 deficit.