LAFC boss Cherundolo praises 'physical & mental monster' Bouanga after El Trafico win

Despite turning in some impressive performances, Denis Bouanga has had to remain patient when waiting for goals with LAFC. However, when they've come, they've been huge.

Bouanga joined the Black and Gold in August after a three-year spell in Ligue 1 with Saint-Etienne but had to wait until October 2 for his first MLS goal.

But that strike proved to be the winner in a 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers that sealed LAFC's second Supporters' Shield title in four years, ending the challenges of the Philadelphia Union and CF Montreal.

Despite another impressive performance, Bouanga fired a blank against Nashville SC in LAFC's final game of the regular season, only to turn up with a brace in the most vital of moments, helping the Black and Gold to a 3-2 win over El Trafico rivals LA Galaxy in Thursday's Western Conference Semi-Final clash.

Big players score big goals.

"He's physically and mentally a monster,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said of Bouanga. “I personally, as a right back, would not like to play against him. And I probably would not have looked very good against him, either. So I'm glad those days are behind me. I'm extremely excited and proud to be his coach."

While Bouanga was the undoubted Man of the Match, it was Colombian striker Cristian Arango who had the glory of scoring LAFC's dramatic 93rd-minute winner, just eight minutes after Dejan Joveljic had equalized for the Galaxy.

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Safe to say the roof came off Banc of California Stadium as the '3252' erupted at the end of another classic encounter between these two rivals.

“​​It's something that the fans deserved, my family deserved it, we all deserved it,” Arango said. “It's an uncountable amount of happiness that we needed as a group. Now we need to continue on this path.”

Bouanga, meanwhile, was left in awe of the LAFC supporters after scoring his first goals on home soil for the club and seeing the reaction to Arango's late winner. Even for a player who has experienced hostile atmospheres in the French top flight, Thursday night was something special.

"It's unbelievable,” Bouanga said of the atmosphere. “Even with my experiences in other stadiums, it was fantastic. Our supporters out there, it starts from minute one until the end and it really pushes the group. ... You don't feel tired at all even though we played 90 [plus] minutes. It's fantastic to have [the fans] and ever since my first game here, I've felt that."

LAFC now await the winner of Texas rivals Austin FC and FC Dallas in the Western Conference final, with the clear aim of going all the way to MLS Cup glory.

“​​The road is clear ahead of us and we have to take that road and do our best,” Arango said.

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