Los Angeles FC (LAFC) defeated Mexican side Club America 2-1 in a play-in match to claim the title in the FIFA Club World Cup. Denis Bouanga scored the winning goal late in extra time.
Igor Jesus scored his first goal for his new club in the 89th minute of Saturday night’s game, sliding through traffic and turning in a header.
In the 115th minute, Bouanga leaps into the action and fires a deflected shot from the top of the penalty area, sparking a wild celebration at BMO Stadium and FA Cup of Nations.
When group play begins in the southern United States in two weeks, LAFC will team up with Chelsea, Flamengo, and Tunisian ES Tunis.
The Major League Soccer (MLS) power guarantees at least $9.55 million in prize money for winning the tournament. LAFC’s victory is incredibly lucrative for the Major League Soccer (MLS) power. The team also has a chance to win nearly $100 million in prize money from FIFA’s nearly $1 billion pool.
In front of a crowd of tens of thousands of supporters, Las Aguilas fell short as a penalty kick was converted by Brian Rodriguez to give Club America a lead midway through the second half.
Because FIFA forbade Mexico’s side Leon from competing in a 32-team Club World Cup, which prohibited other teams from competing against one another. The same organization holds the shares of Leon and Pachuca, and Leon lost its appeal four weeks ago after attempting to change its ownership structure.
Second-half thriller
LAFC and Club America were cautious in the first half, only scoring one shot each while watching both teams in a stadium full of raucous fans.
In the 64th minute, Rodriguez capitalized on a penalty awarded in the wake of a video review of Mark Delgado’s risky, spikes-up challenge on Erick Sanchez.
Rodriguez spent four seasons with LAFC from 2019 to 2022 before the Uruguayan winger moved to America for a sizable transfer fee. He started as a half-time substitute after recovering from an injury recently.
Olivier Giroud’s substitution for the second-half gave LAFC a first-half offensive boost. Luis Malagon stopped the French star from nearly netting a pass in the 81st minute. After Bouanga and Giroud, LAFC added more pressure to their late pressure.
The 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder Jesus fought it out for Malagon in the end with a header in the box.
Just before Bouanga’s winner, Lloris blocked Javairo Dilrosun’s point-blank chance in the second-half of extra time.
Tickets for the game were distributed equally among the teams’ supporters, and Club America has a sizable fan base in Los Angeles, where Mexican players and players are greeted with ferocious support whenever they travel. 90 minutes before kickoff, LAFC’s renowned North End crowd was thronging the south of the stadium while Club America fans swarm the South.
After kickoff, both sections set off smoke bombs and fireworks, highlighting the remarkable atmosphere and showcasing what’s to come in June and July.
As a precursor to the FIFA World Cup’s resumption in North America in 2026, the US’s largest Club World Cup will be held across the country. Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders have already qualified for Liga MX, while Pachuca and Monterrey have also qualified.
Source: Aljazeera
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