Not a bad way to bounce back for LAFC.
LAFC’s reserves led the way this past Tuesday on the US Open Cup Round of 32, as they won a dramatic match in penalty kick shootout with Monterrey Bay FC. Now it was the LAFC regulars’ turn to get the bitter taste of having lost its first match in league plan last Saturday against San Jose, and they did so in convincing fashion. Goals from Kwadao Opoku, Denis Bouanga and Mateusz Bogusz enabled LAFC to leave Salt Lake City with all three points courtesy of a 3-0 win at America First Field.
“It’s a good bounce back, it’s a good way to perform on the road,” LAFC keeper John McCarthy said.
LAFC got going in the eighth minute. Ilie Sanchez sent a long ball, Opoku timed his run to get behind the RSL back line, Opoku chested the ball into the penalty area and fired a left-footed one-timer that bounced on the field and got past keeper Zac MacMath near post to stake LAFC to the early lead. LAFC then doubled the lead in spectacular fashion, and it came from a familiar source, as Bouanga took a pass from Carlos Vela, took a touch, then blasted a one-timer from about 25 yards out, and while MacMath did get a touch on the ball, clearly it was not enough to prevent the ball from scorching the back net and thus giving LAFC a two-goal advantage.
LAFC spent the remainder of the first half and most of the second half slowly wilting away the match. Then, starting int he 85th minute, LAFC got the opportunity to officially seal the three points. It started when Bounaga chased down a ball from Timothy Tillman into the penalty area, RSL’s Brayan Vera tried to mark Bouanga, but in doing so, used his left forearm to push down Bouanga from behind, and referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere blew his whistle and signaled LAFC to the penalty spot. After a VAR review that upheld the call, Bogusz stepped up to the spot and buried the shot past MacMath to conclude matters for LAFC.
“When we did move the ball and when we did connect passes, we were dangerous and we were very good,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said.
A busy month LAFC will only get busier this week with two matches, though they will finally be at home for those two games this week, starting on Wednesday against Sporting Kansas City.
