In need of a reaction, LAFC got one in a big way Saturday night at Lumen Field with a classic smash-and-grab 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders.
Denis Bouanga netted a brace and Mateusz Bogusz also scored as the Black & Gold exercised the demons of the past week – most notably their crushing 5-1 home loss to the Columbus Crew in a rematch of MLS Cup 2023 - against a high-flying Sounders side that came into Matchday 28 riding a five-game winning streak.
“It was a very important win for us tonight,” defender Sergi Palencia said post-match. “After the results of the past week against Columbus and Salt Lake, we’ve had to change that mentality and turn the page quickly. Being our last match of this stretch, it was very important to head into this break with three points.”
Bouanga, last season's MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi winner, reached 16 goals to move within one of current leader Cristian Arango. Meanwhile, Bogusz continued his breakout 2024 campaign with a stunning full volley from the edge of the box to round out the bounceback win with his 13th goal of the year.
“I had one chance before, I just missed my volley,” Bogusz said. “It was the second chance so I just said [I’m going to] kick the ball. I [didn’t] have luck. It was a good shot and it was a goal, so I’m very happy that I could score again and help the team win.”
Keeping pace
With Saturday's result, LAFC extended their unbeaten run against the Sounders to eight – winning six and drawing twice in a stretch that dates back to May 2021. It also kept them within two points of the LA Galaxy atop the Western Conference standings, although the Black & Gold have two games in hand on their El Tráfico rivals.
“At this point in the season, you can start to look at the table,” said head coach Steve Cherundolo. “Maintaining and keeping pace with the teams at the top of the table is very important.
"Before we can hopefully, in the transfer window, make some improvements on our roster and get some rest, I think that’s really important before the sprint of the last third of the season arrives at the end of August," Cherundolo said. "[It is a] very important signal also to the others that we’re still there."
