LAFC’s 2024 season will continue after a chess match against the Vancouver Whitecaps in Los Angeles on Friday night. It was Poland international Mateusz Bogusz who played the hero with his second-half goal to put L.A. ahead for good in the 1-0 win in Game 3 of the best-of-three series to open the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Denis Bouanga, who scored 20 goals in the regular season for LAFC, had a goal-scoring opportunity hit the side-netting in the eighth minute as the hosts looked to pounce early. Despite coming in with all the momentum in their favor after their 3-0 win in Game 2, the Whitecaps were unable to find the net throughout a mostly dominant first half. Brian White had one great shot denied by Hugo Lloris, then went wide left on a second just before halftime.
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo then changed course in the second half with a new formation and inserted Olivier Giroud, who made an immediate impact. But it wasn’t until the 62nd minute when Bogusz was able to put the Black and Gold ahead and eventually into the second round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
LAFC will now face the Seattle Sounders, who advanced after two straight wins over the Houston Dynamo, in the single-elimination Western Conference semifinals on the weekend of Nov. 23-24.
Most of the chatter around the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs has been in direct opposition to the best-of-three format, but with three more elimination games Saturday it’s tough to say it isn’t yielding plenty of excitement.
Here’s how the match unfolded in real time:
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER28 updates
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:37 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:34 PM CST
FINAL SCORE: LAFC 1-0 Vancouver Whitecaps
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:30 PM CST
5 minutes of stoppage time added
The Black and Gold appear to be headed into the second round of the playoffs unless the Whitecaps can find the equalizer.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:24 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:18 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:12 PM CST
74′
Blackmon heads it into the goal off a set piece, but was way offsides.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:10 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:04 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 11:01 PM CST
62′ GOAL for Mateusz Bogusz
Aaron Long set up Bogusz nicely and the Polish international perfectly places it into the net.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:57 PM CST
57′
Giroud and Bouanga nearly connect on another opportunity, this time with Giroud on the receiving end of a pass into the box. He misses and Vancouver is getting antsy.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:55 PM CST
54′
Giroud, who came in at the half, nearly makes his mark on the game with a dime to Bouanga, but Bouanga misses out on a score by mere inches.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:51 PM CST
51′
O’Brien attempts what would have been an epic bicycle-kick goal, but is denied by White.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:46 PM CST
47′
Down goes Bouanga inside the box after a shove from Berhalter! The ref doesn’t bite and instead awards Vancouver a goal kick.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:43 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:33 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:32 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:30 PM CST
HALFTIME: LAFC 0-0 Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver seems to have all the momentum after their 3-0 destruction of LAFC in Game 2. In this highly competitive chess match, LAFC is losing the possession battle (62% to 38%) and has taken just 2 shots with 0 on target to Vancouver’s 7 with 1 on goal.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:25 PM CST
43′
Gauld gets one through to an open White who wastes a perfect opportunity with a shot wide left.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:24 PM CST
40′
After an explosive run, Hollingshead puts in a great cross to Palencia inside the box. Palencia fired off a shot, but it was blocked by a wall of Whitecaps defenders.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:11 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:09 PM CST
27′
Whitecaps nearly break through, but Lloris is right there to knock away Brian White’s quick shot. The visitors are starting to knock.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:02 PM CST
20′
Still scoreless after 20 minutes with Vancouver leading the possession battle (59%). BMO Stadium still hasn’t filled up, but the energy coming from the crowd is electric.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 9:55 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 9:51 PM CST
8′
Denis Bouanga takes his first shot of the night, but it hits the side-netting. The 29-year-old Frenchman finished second in scoring during the regular season with 20 goals (same as Messi) and has scored once so far in the postseason.
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 9:41 PM CST
LAFC vs. Whitecaps is underway
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 9:37 PM CST
Rams legend in the house at BMO Stadium
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 9:31 PM CST
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Fri, November 8, 2024 at 9:31 PM CST
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