
LAFC Advances to Leagues Cup Quarterfinals with 4-1 Win Over San Jose; Olivier Giroud Makes LAFC Debut
August 14, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Los Angeles FC News Release
LAFC advanced to the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup 2024 for the second straight year with a 4-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night. Denis Bouanga scored twice and Cristian Olivera and Mateusz Bogusz each added goals for the home side. Forward Olivier Giroud made his LAFC debut when he entered the match in the 71st minute, replacing Olivera.
LAFC next faces the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field in Seattle on Saturday, August 17. That game will kick off at 5 p.m. PT with the winner advancing to the Leagues Cup semifinals against either Club America of Liga MX or the Colorado Rapids.
After a quiet opening 15 minutes for both sides, LAFC grabbed the lead thanks to Olivera. Ryan Hollingshead won a header near midfield, putting the ball into the path of Olivera who cut past an Earthquakes defender before firing a right-footed shot past goalkeeper William Yarbrough to give LAFC a 1-0 lead.
San Jose equalized in the 41st minute on a goal from Hernán Lopez. The Argentine midfielder hit a left-footed volley from the center of the box, tying the game at 1-1.
Just before halftime, Yarbrough pulled down Eduard Atuesta inside the San Jose penalty area, giving LAFC a penalty kick which Bouanga fired past Yarbrough to send LAFC into halftime with a 2-1 lead.
Bogusz extended the LAFC lead to 3-1 just after the hour mark when he collected a pass from Ilie Sánchez and hit a long-range shot that went through the hands of Yarbrough and into the net. Five minutes later, Bouanga put the game out of reach with his second goal of the game, making the score 4-1.
NEWS & NOTES
LAFC has now reached the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup each year that the competition has been played. The Philadelphia Union are the only other MLS club to have achieved that feat.
LAFC is now 20-5-6 in all competitions in 2024. The club is 14-5-5 in MLS play, 3-0-0 in the U.S. Open Cup and now 3-0-1 in Leagues Cup.
At BMO Stadium, LAFC is 14-1-4 in 2024, keeping a clean sheet in nine of those 19 games.
Since suffering a 3-1 loss to San Jose on May 4, LAFC has compiled a 16-1-3 record in all competitions.
In two games against the Earthquakes at BMO Stadium this year, LAFC has outscored San Jose 10-3, with Mateusz Bogusz and Denis Bouanga each scoring three times.
LAFC is 5-1-1 all-time in Leagues Cup, including 5-0-1 at BMO Stadium. In those seven games, LAFC has outscored its opponents 24-7, including 22-4 at BMO.
Denis Bouanga finished the game with two goals. This was his third multi-goal game in seven all-time Leagues Cup appearances.
Bouanga now has 10 goals all-time in the competition, leaving him tied with Lionel Messi, who also had 10 goals in seven games. Bouanga leads MLS in all-time Leagues Cup goal contributions with 16 (10 goals, 6 assists), ranking just ahead of Messi (10 goals, 4 assists).
Bouanga has scored or assisted on a goal in all seven Leagues Cup games that LAFC has played, all-time.
Cristian Olivera now has four goals in Leagues Cup 2024, tying him with Bouanga for the second-most in the competition this year.
Mateusz Bogusz picked up his 16th goal in all competitions this year. He has 13 goals in the league and one in the Open Cup to go along with his two Leagues Cup goals.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from August 14, 2024
- Chicago Fire FC Acquires Winger Ariel Lassiter from CF Montréal - Chicago Fire FC
- CF Montréal Acquires up to $150,000 in General Allocation Money in Return for Ariel Lassiter - Club de Foot Montreal
- LAFC Acquires $50,000 in Allocation Money from Columbus Crew in Exchange for Abraham Romero - Los Angeles FC
- Real Salt Lake Acquires Young Polish Winger Dominik Marczuk from Jagiellonia Bialystok - Real Salt Lake
- 'Djordje's on Fire': an All-Access Look into Mihailovic's Olympic Experience in Paris - Colorado Rapids
- Philadelphia Union Recall Forward Nelson Pierre; Loan to Charlotte Independence - Philadelphia Union
- Chicago Fire FC Agrees to Mutual Termination with Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri - Chicago Fire FC
- Leagues Cup Run Ends Earlier Than Hoped For, So Attention Returns to Preparation for League Play Stretch Run - FC Cincinnati
- Club de Soccer Optimum de Victoriaville Joins CF Montréal's Scouting and Development Centre - Club de Foot Montreal
- BeStrong Announced as Proud Player Development Partner of Sporting KC - Sporting Kansas City
- San Jose's Thrilling Leagues Cup Run Ends in Round of 16; Quakes Return to MLS Play Aug. 24 vs. Real Salt Lake - San Jose Earthquakes
- Columbus Crew Edge Inter Miami CF, 3-2 - Columbus Crew SC
- St. Louis CITY SC Leagues Cup Run Ends in the Round of 16 Against Club América - St. Louis City SC
- Rafael Navarro, Darren Yapi Stunners See Rapids Advance to Leagues Cup Quarterfinals Over Toluca - Colorado Rapids
- LAFC Advances to Leagues Cup Quarterfinals with 4-1 Win Over San Jose; Olivier Giroud Makes LAFC Debut - Los Angeles FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Los Angeles FC Stories
- LAFC Defeats Inter Miami 1-0 in First Leg of Concacaf Champions Cup Quarterfinals
- LAFC Suffers 3-2 Defeat to San Diego FC
- LAFC Faces First Road Test
- LAFC Claims a 2-0 Win on the Road Against Sporting Kansas City
- LAFC Takes on Sporting Kansas City in MLS Regular Season Road Test at Children's Mercy Park On Saturday, March 22

