The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) advanced to the Western Conference Final for the second time in Club history thanks to a dramatic 3-2 win over the rival LA Galaxy on Thursday night. Denis Bouanga scored on either side of halftime before MLS MVP finalist Cristian “Chicho” Arango scored the game-winner in the 93rdminute to set off raucous celebrations among the sellout crowd of 22,305 at Banc of California Stadium.
With the win, LAFC will now host the winner of Sunday’s game between Austin FC and FC Dallas on Sunday, October 30 in the Western Conference Final.
NEWS & NOTES:
- With the win, LAFC advance to the Western Conference Final for the second time in club history and the first since 2019.
- LAFC have now advanced to the Western Conference Final in each of the two seasons in which they won the Supporters’ Shield.
- LAFC is now 2-3-0 all-time in the MLS Cup Playoffs, including 2-2-0 at Banc of California Stadium.
- Both of LAFC’s postseason victories have come against the LA Galaxy, having also beaten them 5-3 in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals.
- The victory snapped LAFC’s two-game postseason losing streak dating back to the 2019 playoffs.
- Arango’s 93rd minute goal is the first postseason stoppage time winner in LAFC history. It is the fourth goal to be scored in second half stoppage time during the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, but the first to be a game-winner.
- LAFC has now earned each of its last two wins (tonight and October 2 at Portland) thanks to game-winning goals in second half stoppage time.
- Arango scored in all three MLS games between LAFC and the Galaxy this season, with all three of his goals in those games coming after the 70th minute.
- Carlos Vela is the only LAFC player to have played in all five of the club’s all-time postseason games. This was the first time that he did not play the full 90 minutes, coming off in place of Mahala Opoku in the 78th minute.
