Are the good times back for LAFC?
Between winning the US Open Cup title on Wednesday and Saturday's Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs-clinching win at FC Cincinnati, LAFC are at the very least turning the page on their recent five-game winless skid.
“It's a big, big win for us, especially within this week,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said after the 2-1 victory. “Anytime you try to come here and win, it's a very difficult place to play.”
Bouanga magic
Amid squad rotation, Cherundolo & Co. got an opener from 18-year-old winger David Martínez before Denis Bouanga came off the bench to supply the dagger.
“Denis always wants to play; he never wants to rest,” Cherundolo said. “He was quite upset with me for not starting. And that's okay. Everybody can hate me, that's fine. But I think freshness and also making sure he's getting enough rest makes him also better.”
To Bouanga’s chagrin, his shift started as a halftime substitute after going nearly 110 minutes on Wednesday vs. Sporting Kansas City. But the reigning Golden Boot presented by Audi winner still got on the end of a play started by co-stars Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud to take center stage vs. Cincy.
“Obviously, he's physically capable to play every game, but when he loses his explosiveness, he is still extremely good and we're happy to have him,” Cherundolo said. “But with explosiveness and freshness, he's unstoppable.”
Unstoppable indeed. Bouanga's 18th goal of the season will feature prominently in his 2024 sizzle reel.
“Denis found an awesome little window, and when that guy has the ball at his feet dribbling inside the box, it's danger for everybody,” defender Ryan Hollingshead added.
MLS Cup chase
For LAFC, Saturday’s result came in a potential MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi preview.
Before looking too far ahead, LAFC are back in control of their own destiny in terms of locking up a home playoff seed. For a club chasing a third-straight MLS Cup trip, momentum is everything.
"To have that sort of response, it's going to be huge going forward for us," Hollingshead said. "The team's already confident. And then you throw that result on top of it, I think it's going to be exactly what we need to go get a really good seed in the West moving forward and then go make another run for a cup."
