LAFC triumph 1-0 over Seattle Sounders to reach Western Conference final
- A lone goal by Denis Bouanga secures the victory
- LAFC to host Houston Dynamo on December 2 in Western Conference final
- LAFC make history by triumphing against the Sounders
LAFC triumphed 1-0 over the Seattles Sounders at Lumen Field to clinch a spot in the Western Conference final.
The reigning Major League Soccer champions faced a difficult challenge when traveling to Seattle to face Brian Schmetzer’s side, as Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris propelled the team to second in the West during the regular season. But Denis Bouanga and Carlos Vela were up for the fight.
The two teams kicked off strong, seeing action on both ends to test goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Stefan Frei. LAFC’s backline proved vital in the opening minutes, as Morris beat Jesús Murillo twice to attempt the opening goal to no avail.
On the other end, Bouanga led the attack by constantly beating João Paulo and Alex Roldan through the right to reach the box before finally finding the back of the net in the 30th minute. After weaving through defenders, the star figure managed a right-footed shot into the opposite corner of the net for the opening goal. Frei made the dive in an attempt to save the shot, but nothing could stop the strike.
The second half saw Seattle desperately try to find the equalizer, with players taking offensive risks to find the back of the net but Crepeau continued with a game-changing performance. The Canadian international goalkeeper concluded the game with seven saves, emphasized by the first attempt from Morris in the fourth minute and Paulo's long-range strike in the 81st.
Prior to the match, the Sounders had gone unbeaten in 19 consecutive home playoff matches and remained unbeaten against LAFC in MLS playoffs. But the California team decided to make history and win against Seattle at Lumen Field for the first time since 2018.
LAFC will now host the Houston Dynamo on December 2 at BMO Stadium, after concluding the 2023 MLS season with one more point that their upcoming rival. The California team is now two victories away from becoming back-to-back MLS champions, a feat last accomplished by LA Galaxy in 2011 and 2012.