Denis Bouanga scored his eighth career MLS Cup Playoff goal on a first-half penalty kick, and LAFC defeated the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on Sunday evening in Game 1 of their Round 1 Western Conference series.
Cristian Olivera doubled the lead after halftime for top West seed LAFC, which is seeking its second MLS Cup title and third consecutive trip to the tournament final.
Carlos Vela came off the bench late for his first competitive appearance of 2024 after re-signing with LAFC last month. The 35-year-old Mexican was LAFC’s first signing in club history and won the 2019 MLS MVP.
Ryan Gauld scored late in second-half stoppage time for the Whitecaps, his fourth this postseason after completing a hat trick against Portland in Vancouver’s 5-0 win in the West wild-card game on Wednesday.
But Gauld’s team still has to defeat LAFC at home next Sunday in Game 2 to keep the best-of-three series alive and avoid being swept at this stage by the Black-and-Gold for a second straight year.
Bouanga opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Tristan Blackmon’s blocked shot was ruled a handball on video review. Bouanga scored the ensuing penalty kick into the bottom left corner past Yohei Takaoka.
Gauld came closest to tying the score for Vancouver in first-half stoppage time when his left-footed free kick struck the crossbar near the top right corner.
Olivera doubled the lead in the 57th minute when he scored after a sweeping left-to-right LAFC attack.
Bouanga, Olivier Giroud and Ryan Hollingshead each touched the ball before Mateusz Bogusz made the final pass to Olivera, who was sprinting into the right side of the penalty area.
Olivera controlled the ball with his first touch, then hammered his second from a tight angle past Takaoka into the roof of the net.
–Field Level Media