LAFC became the 32nd and final team to secure a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 with a 2-1 win over Club América in extra time of the Play-In Game at BMO Stadium. Denis Bouanga scored the game-winning goal in the 115th minute, booking a spot for LAFC in the world’s premier club competition for the first time ever.
Following a tight opening half, Club América scored the game’s opening goal just after the hour mark. Upon video review, LAFC midfielder Mark Delgado was whistled for fouling Érick Sánchez inside the penalty area, leading to a penalty kick. Former LAFC forward Brian Rodriguez converted the spot kick, putting América up 1-0 in the 64th minute.
Needing a goal to keep its Club World Cup hopes alive, LAFC made a series of attacking changes and immediately began to pressure the América net with Bouanga and Olivier Giroud forcing a trio of saves from América goalkeeper Luis Malagón.
That pressure paid off in the 89th minute when Igor Jesus headed home a Bouanga corner kick, tying the score at 1-1. Bouanga had won the corner after his shot was deflected out of play by the América defense, and his corner found Jesus in the center of the box. The Brazilian’s header beat the dive of the América keeper for his first goal in an LAFC shirt
Just minutes later, LAFC nearly won the game in second-half stoppage time when Timothy Tillman’s long-range, curling effort was tipped over the bar by Malagón, sending the game to extra time.
Early in the second period of extra time, Hugo Lloris was called on to save a Javairô Dilrosun shot at his near post and then watched a Diego Valdés effort fly just wide in the 111th minute.
Four minutes later, LAFC crafted the match-winner with Bouanga scoring the 80th goal of his LAFC career. He started the attack by playing a pass forward to the feet of Frankie Amaya. Amaya laid the ball off for Giroud, who settled it for Bouanga whose right-footed shot deflected off an América defender past Malagón and into the net to give LAFC the 2-1 victory.
LAFC joins Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders as the third MLS representative in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The club has been placed into Group D of the competition and will open the tournament in Atlanta on Monday, June 16, against Chelsea of the Premier League. LAFC will also face Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Friday, June 20, in Nashville) and Flamengo from Brazil (Tuesday, June 24, in Orlando) in the group stage.
NOTES
- LAFC is now unbeaten in its last nine games in all competitions, going 4-0-5 since losing to Inter Miami on April 9.
- At BMO Stadium, LAFC is 9-1-1 in all competitions, compiling a 5-1-1 mark in MLS play, a 3-0-0 record in the Concacaf Champions Cup and now tonight’s victory.
- This was LAFC’s first win of 2025 when conceding the game’s opening goal.
- LAFC is now 3-0-1 all-time against Club América, having previously beaten the Mexican club in the 2020 Concacaf Champions League semifinals and a preseason game at BMO Stadium in February. The two clubs also met in the Leagues Cup Showcase at SoFi Stadium on August 3, 2022, playing to a 0-0 draw before América won on penalties.
- Tonight’s game was LAFC’s 12th against a Liga MX opponent. The club is now 6-5-1 in those matches.
- LAFC outshot América 19-9 including a 9-4 edge in shots on target.
- Igor Jesus’ 89th minute goal was the first of his LAFC career.
- Denis Bouanga scored the game-winning goal in the 115th minute. That is the latest game-winning goal in LAFC history. Prior to tonight, LAFC had never scored a game-winning goal later than the 95th minute.
- Only Gareth Bale’s game-tying goal in the 128th minute of MLS Cup 2022 was scored later than Bouanga’s strike tonight.
- Bouanga now has 80 goals in his LAFC career, scoring 48 times in the MLS regular season, 12 times in Leagues Cup, 10 in Concacaf play, eight in the MLS Cup Playoffs, one in the U.S. Open Cup and now one in the FIFA Club World Cup.
