For all the talk of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s run through Leagues Cup, LAFC have been quietly going about its business in this tournament.
Almost a week after opening its run in the Round of 32 by scoring seven goals against Juarez, LAFC did not let up in its Round of 16 matchup against Real Salt Lake. Carried by Denis Bouanga’s brace, as well as goals from Nathan Ordaz and Filip Kratsev carried LAFC to another rout, this one a 4-0 decision at BMO Stadium.
“We got to rest a lot,” Bouanga said of the team’s hot start to Leagues Cup. “I think it was good for the team and myself so that’s why we came back stronger and scoring.”
The win moves LAFC on to the quarterfinals, where it is expected to face its toughest test, as they will host Monterrey on Friday. Not only is Monterrey one of the stronger side in Liga Mx, but due to a concert taking place at BMO Stadium on Friday, the game will have to be played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
‘Big stadium, no parking and usually hot. It’s a cool venue and hopefully we’ll get a lot of fans out, hopefully more for Black and Gold,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Monterrey is a top top team with no weaknesses. It’s just a very well-balanced team, very hard team to beat. For me, not a typical Liga MX team. It’s a team who you could place in a European League and it wouldn’t look out of place.”
After a scoreless 51 minutes, LAFC edged ahead in the 52nd minute. Mateusz Bogush sent a long ball forward, Bouanga outraced Nelson Palacio to head a ball forward, then nutmegged Andrew Brody before firing a ball just inside the penalty area that beat keeper Zac McMath far post to put LAFC ahead.
LAFC took control of the match from that point on. Bouanga doubled the lead five minutes later in opportunistic fashion, as he took advantage of a badly played ball from Justen Glad, who was looking to pass back to MacMath, but was hesitant on the decision, and Bouanga pounced, as he stole the ball from Glad, then fired the ball past MacMath into the back net. Ordaz put the match away for the home side in the 62nd minute, as Diego Palacio received a ball from Ilie Sanchez, Palacios played a ball towards the six-yard box and Ordaz tapped a ball past MacMath into the back net to triple the LAFC advantage. Kratsev added the icing on the cake in the 85th minute, as LAFC was on a counter, Ordaz headed a ball to Bogusz, who then played a ball to Kratsev, and he took a quick touch into the penalty area, then fired the ball past MacMath near post to wrap up the evening for LAFC.
