Denis Bouanga Powers LAFC Past Revolution; Team Advances in Champions League

Los Angeles Futbol Club (LAFC) team players pose for a photograph prior to the CONCACAF Champions League first leg football match between Alajuelense Sports League (LDA) and Los Angeles Futbol Club (LAFC) at Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium in Alajuela, Costa Rica, on March 9, 2023. Randall Campos/ AFP via Getty Images

Denis Bouanga scored his first two goals of the season and LAFC continued their perfect start by pulling away to a 4–0 victory over the visiting New England Revolution on Sunday night, March 12.

Bouanga has now scored five times in the space of four days after he had a hat trick on Thursday night in LAFC’s 3–0 victory at Costa Rica’s LD Alajuelense in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League.

He also became the second player to score a penalty for LAFC (2–0–0, 6 points) in MLS play this season, since Carlos Vela was one of four starters from Thursday who were not in Sunday’s starting lineup.

Timothy Tillman and Stipe Biuk also scored their first career MLS goals as two of the beneficiaries of manager Steve Cherundolo’s decision to rest some regulars.

Bouanga also assisted Biuk’s very late strike, and also struck the woodwork with a second-half free kick to complete an exceptional night.

New England Revolution defender Henry Kessler (4) dribbles the ball against Los Angeles FC forward Stipe Biuk (7) and forward Denis Bouanga (99) during the first half at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Mar 12, 2023. Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media

Djordje Petrovic made eight saves for New England (2–1–0, 6 points), which started the match promisingly but was the second-best team once Bouanga converted his penalty in the 14th minute.

Petrovic nearly kept Biuk’s very late effort out, but Biuk’s finish off Bouanga’s cross had enough momentum to take the ball—and Petrovic—over the line.

Gustavo Bou made his season debut for the Revs, but 2021 MLS MVP Carles Gil was a surprise omission from the starting lineup. Gil came on as a second-half substitute, then had to exit the match before full-time with an apparent injury.

Tillman made the first key play of the match when he drew a penalty on a cutback inside the box that induced Bou into a somewhat clumsy foul.

Referee Allen Chapman pointed to the spot to relatively few protests from New England players. And Bouanga smashed his penalty up the middle as Petrovic guessed in the wrong direction.

It was 2–0 in 67th minute through Bouanga again, this time when he ran onto Ryan Hollingshead’s ball over the top, timed his run to remain onside and finished beyond a stranded Petrovic. That started a late onslaught from the home side.

LAFC 1, LD Alajuelense 2 (Aggregate, 4–2)

Like Vancouver, LAFC carried a comfortable margin into their home game against their Costa Rican counterparts on Wednesday, March 15, but LA had to survive a bit of a scare to advance 4–2 on aggregate.

After winning 3–0 in Costa Rica last week, LAFC fell behind early after a video review determined LA’s Giorgio Chiellini handled the ball in the box and awarded Alajuelense a penalty kick in the eighth minute.

Giancarlo Gonzalez converted the penalty, then Aaron Suarez made it 2–0 with a 52nd-minute goal.

However, with Alajuelense within a goal of tying it on aggregate, Los Angeles star Carlos Vela scored in the 83rd minute to seal the opening-round victory.