Mexican giants: who struggled to contain LAFC’s dynamic offense throughout
Denis Bouanga starred as LAFC secured a historic qualification for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Club América at BMO Stadium on Saturday night. The win not only delivered a significant boost to the club’s international aspirations but also marked a defining moment in Major League Soccer’s evolving global stature.
Bouanga, LAFC’s prolific forward, played a pivotal role in the match, scoring two goals and assisting the third. His relentless pace, precision finishing, and attacking presence proved too much for the Mexican giants, who struggled to contain LAFC’s dynamic offense throughout the 90 minutes.
The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Bouanga capitalized on a defensive error, slotting the ball past Club América’s goalkeeper with a composed finish. The French-Gabonese attacker doubled the lead just before halftime, finishing a flowing counterattack with a clinical strike into the bottom corner.
Club América fought back early in the second half, with Julian Quiñones pulling one back in the 54th minute, briefly shifting the momentum. However, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Bouanga turned provider, setting up Mateusz Bogusz for LAFC’s third goal in the 71st minute with a perfectly weighted through ball.
With the win, LAFC claimed the final CONCACAF berth for the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States and feature 32 teams from around the world. Their qualification was secured based on their superior record in recent CONCACAF Champions Cup competitions, with this victory serving as the final clinching result.
LAFC joins fellow North American sides Monterrey, Seattle Sounders, and Club León in the tournament, which will bring together the top clubs from every confederation, including European and South American champions.
“It’s a proud moment for the club,” said LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo. “This was a high-stakes match, and our players delivered. Bouanga showed once again why he’s one of the top
