A long grind of a season finally has light at the end of the tunnel for LAFC.
A season of competing for trophies, midweek matches and trying to navigate through a whole new tournament finally has and ending in sight. Hosting the Western Conference Final at BMO Stadium, LAFC was not to be denied. A first half goal from Ryan Hollingshead combined with an own goal from Franco Escobar was all LAFC needed to advance to MLS Cup Final for the second straight year following the 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo.
“Tactically, our guys were very disciplined tonight and excellent,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “They were able to neutralize and take advantage of some of Houston’s stronger
points and most dangerous players tonight. I think, tactically, it was very high-level. Intensity-wise, up there with some of our better performances of the season.”
The only obstacle standing in front of a second straight MLS Cup title for LAFC is the Columbus Crew, who rallied from two goals down to stun the Supporters Shield winner and in-state rival FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Final. Making the task harder for LAFC, it will have to be won on the road in what is sure to be cold weather in Columbus on Saturday.
“It’s crazy the caliber of player we have ready to step up at any moment, but I’ve been saying this since the beginning and trying to stress it, it’s the locker room that we have, Hollingshead said. “There’s no ‘I’m not starting, let’s throw and attitude and a cloud of sorrow that takes everyone down with you, there’s none of that. Everyone is like, we have a job to do, we got three games, now one game left to do something special here.”
LAFC took the lead just as halftime was approaching. Carlos Vela sent a corner kick into the penalty area, Giorgio Chiellini headed a ball towards goal, keeper Steve Clark made the save, but Hollingshead swooped in and tapped home the rebound chance to give LAFC the advantage heading into the halftime break. LAFC slowly wilted away the match, then got a gift from the Dynamo themselves to seal its trip to Columbus in the 80th minute. Mateusz Bogusz switched a ball to Denis Bouanga, who then dribbled towards the penalty area, left back Diego Palacios joined him on the overlap, Bouanga played Palacios into the penalty area, Palacios crossed into the six-yard box, Escobar cut off the cross, but took a bad deflection, as the ball continued forward and tricked over the goal line to make it a two score game.
“We played our game; we were really strong in defense,” LAFC’s Denis Bouanga said. “We know what to do – what we did in Seattle too – and we are going to do the same at Columbus. We know how to attack, and we know how to defend, and we showed it tonight.”
Vela set the tone for LAFC from the start. It took just a minute for LAFC to have a scoring chance, as Timothy Tillman played a ball to Vela inside the penalty area, Vela split the Houston defense to get an open chance inside the penalty area, but the shot went off the crossbar. Vela’s second chance, which came in the fifth minute, actually found the back net, as Vela again received a ball from Tillman inside the penalty area, then fired a shot off Clark that trickled through the goal line. The goal was called back however, as Vela was clearly in an offside position when Tillman played him a ball. Vela’s last best chance, which came in the 12th minute, occurred when Bouanga played him into the penalty area, and Vela’s despite not having the best sightline, tried to make the moment count, as he blasted a shot right a goa, but Clark parried the all over the end line for an LAFC corner.
“He’s aware that we all look at him when things are tough, especially in big games,” Ilie Sanchez said of Vela’s performance. “He sets the tone for the team, for the fans and atmosphere at the stadium.”
