LAFC appears to be hitting it stride at just the right time.
After a four-match winless streak in which goals were hard to come by, LAFC looks like they have its mojo back. A brace from Denis Bouanga combined with goals from Timothy Tillman and Cristian Olivera carried LAFC to a massive win on the road, as they went into the Texas capital and got the 4-2 victory over Austin FC Saturday night at Q2 Stadium.
The win was indeed huge for LAFC (14-10-9, 51 points), as the three points earned in Austin combined with Seattle being held to a scoreless draw at home against Vancouver puts LAFC in sole possession of the second spot in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Sounders heading into the final weekend of the regular season. On the other hand, Austin endures more misery at the hands of LAFC, as one season after losing to LAFC in the Western Conference Final, LAFC eliminated Austin from playoff contention.
LAFC opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Mateusz Bogusz sprung Bouanga into the penalty area, Bouanga outmaneuvered two Austin defenders, then played a ball to Tillman, who took a touch, then fired a ball past keeper Brad Stuver at the back post to give LAFC the early lead. Bouanga then took over the scoring himself. LAFC was gifted a chance to add to its lead in the 41st minute when Cristian Olivera split two Austin defenders to get free inside the penalty area, Leon Vaisanen went to ground to try to win the ball from Olivera, but he ended up clipping Olivera at his right leg. At first referee Jon Freemon did not award the penalty, but soon got the call from VAR referee Kevin Terry Jr, VAR confirmed the foul, and Freemon signaled LAFC to the penalty spot. Bouanga stepped up and converted, going straight to the back net as Stuver guessed wrong.
LAFC then finished off Austin in the second half. Bouanga made it a two-goal night in the 54th minute, as Bogusz took the ball into the Austin penalty area, sent a short cross to the back post, the ball took a deflection, but right to the feet of Bouanga, and he finished the opportunity at his near post to triple the LAFC lead. Olivera got the scoresheet himself in the 68th minute, as Bogusz sent a long ball to Bouanga inside the penalty area, Stuver denied Bouanga of the hat trick, but left a rebound in the box, and Olivera swooped in and buried the rebound chance to basically wrap up the night for LAFC. Austin did not go down without a fight, getting a goal from Vaisanen in the 75th minute, and an LAFC own goal in stoppage time.
