Los Angeles FC Tops Whitecaps FC in Playoff Opener

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MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Los Angeles FC Tops Whitecaps FC in Playoff Opener

October 28, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


LOS ANGELES, CA - Back to BC Place.

Los Angeles FC took the first match in the Round One Best-of-3 series with a narrow 2-1 win at BMO Stadium on Sunday. Now, Vancouver Whitecaps FC will look to force a game three with a victory at home next Sunday, November 3. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets. Whitecaps FC 2024 playoffs are presented by BMO, PlayNow Sports and TELUS.

It was a cagey start to the match. Olivier Giroud got the first look on goal for LAFC, being found by Cristian Olivera in the box in the opening minutes, but his flicked header went wide of the mark.

However, the best chance of the early going went to the 'Caps. Stuart Armstrong slipped in Brian White behind the LAFC defence, as he managed to beat Hugo Lloris but struck the post before it bounced back across the goal and stayed out.

Whitecaps FC kept the pressure on and again nearly made it 1-0 inside 14 minutes through Pedro Vite. A great passing play found the Ecuadorian on the edge of the box as he tried to place a shot into the bottom right corner only for it to fizz a whisker wide.

However, despite the strong start, LAFC opened the scoring in the 30th minute from the penalty spot, after Tristan Blackmon was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box. Denis Bouanga stepped up and dispatched his penalty to put LAFC 1-0 ahead.

Whitecaps FC fought back and had two glorious opportunities right before halftime to tie it up, with Ryan Gauld smashing the upright from a 25-yard free kick, and Sam Adekugbe heading a dangerous ball right into the six-yard box before being cleared in front of a waiting White.

The second half saw LAFC double their lead 12 minutes into the second half, thanks to Olivera. Mateusz Bogusz laid the ball off for Olivera on the right-hand side and the Uruguayan smashed it near post to give LAFC their second.

Bogusz almost added one more, first striking the frame of the goal from inside the box, then hitting a free kick off the crossbar.

Whitecaps FC kept fighting, pulling one back right at the end, after a clever pass from Damir Kreilach in the box set-up Gauld to thunder home the goal.

Despite the late goal, LAFC would hold on for the 2-1 victory, setting up a tantalizing second leg at BC Place next week.

Whitecaps FC now host the second match against LAFC next Sunday, November 3 at BC Place at 5:45 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MATCH DETAILS

Attendance: 22,298

Referee: Jair Marrufo

Scoring Summary

30' - LAFC - Denis Bouanga (penalty kick)

57' - LAFC - Cristian Olivera (Mateusz Bogusz, Ryan Hollingshead)

90'+5 - VAN - Ryan Gauld (Damir Kreilach, Sebastian Berhalter)

Statistics

Possession: LAFC 46.4% - VAN 53.6%

Shots: LAFC 15 - VAN 15

Shots on Goal: LAFC 4 - VAN 4

Saves: LAFC 3 - VAN 2

Fouls: LAFC 12 - VAN 16

Offsides: LAFC 1 - VAN 2

Corners: LAFC 5 - VAN 3

Cautions

58' - LAFC - Ryan Hollingshead

58' - LAFC - Aaron Long

73' - VAN - Mathías Laborda

90' - VAN - Ranko Veselinović

Los Angeles FC

1.Hugo Lloris; 14.Sergi Palencia, 25.Maxime Chanot, 33.Aaron Long; 13.Cristian Olivera (5.Marlon 81'), 11.Timothy Tillman (6.Ilie Sánchez 81'), 8.Lewis O'Brien, 24.Ryan Hollingshead; 19.Mateusz Bogusz, 9.Olivier Giroud (23.Kei Kamara 65'), 99.Denis Bouanga (10.Carlos Vela 86')

Substitutes not used

12.Thomas Hasal, 2.Omar Campos, 3.Jesús Murillo, 20.Eduard Atuesta, 30.David Martínez

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

1.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 6.Tristan Blackmon, 3.Sam Adekugbe; 45.Pedro Vite (16.Sebastian Berhalter 65'), 20.Andrés Cubas (19.Damir Kreilach 88'), 26.Stuart Armstrong (8.Alessandro Schöpf 65'); 25.Ryan Gauld, 22.Ali Ahmed (11.Fafa Picault 65'); 24.Brian White (28.Levonte Johnson 79')

Substitutes not used

32.Isaac Boehmer, 7.Ryan Raposo, 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik, 18.Édier Ocampo

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