LEAGUES CUP 2023
LAFC beat Real Salt Lake and continue their winning run in the Leagues Cup
Steve Cherundolo’s side continued their charge in the Leagues Cup by thrashing Real Salt Lake.
As if sending Juárez home with seven goals in their pocket wasn’t enough fun and football torture, LAFC went and did it again. This time, their opponents were MLS rivals Real Salt Lake, who took on the Black & Gold at BMO Stadium in the Leagues Cup Round of 16. The news that Carlos Vela was unavailable for the clash with a thigh injury came as a huge blow for the Californian side, but it is now obvious that they have more than enough to cope with the loss of the Mexican attacker.
Steve Cherundolo’s side are in imperious form and duly put four goals past RSL, with Denis Bouanga, Nathan Ordaz and Filip Krastev all shining on the night. It took until the second half for the team to find their groove, but once they did, it was an unstoppable force that kept relentlessly attacking Zac MacMath in goal, who could not work miracles and keep them out.
LAFC turn on the style in the second half
Real Salt Lake were intense and matched LAFC in the first half, with the home crowd expectant of a break in the scoreline at any moment. But they waited until the second period in the game, when Cherundolo’s players were taken off the leash and allowed to fly. Denis Bouanga got the first goal of the game with a sublime strike that set the tone for the rest of the evening: his touch from a long ball, coupled with a skip past a defender got the crowd on their feet, waiting for the cool yet lethal finish under McMath that set the party going.
The second came just moments later. With Real Salt Lake shaken and now trembling, defender Justen Glad was caught on the ball close to goal and Bouanga pounced, stealing possession before sliding a low effort underneath the goalkeeper who was not ready for the quick turnover. The result, in just a matter of minutes, looked likely to go to LAFC, but their opponents still had the threats they showed in the first half.
Leagues Cup:
LAFC will play Monterrey in the next round
Then came Nathan Ordaz. The youngster tapped home from close range after a delightfully tempting low cross from Diego Palacios who skipped behind the defence on the left side and the party was well and truly on. Bulgarian rising star Filip Krastev, a recent arrival from Europe, was the player who got the final goal, a well-worked move nicely finished with less than 10 to spare giving LAFC an unassailable lead; Real Salt Lake had given it a good go, but the firepower was too much.
LAFC will play against Monterrey in the quarter finals of the Leagues Cup, where new signing Sergio Canales will be ready to continue his fantastic start to life in Mexico after he slotted away a 97th minute penalty against fellow Liga MX rivals, Tigres.
Can LAFC go all the way?
