LAFC stuns Club América to reach Club World Cup, and becomes a perfect MLS representative
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Denis Bouanga #99 of Los Angeles FC celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Play-In match between Los Angeles Football Club and Club America at BMO Stadium on May 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by)
LOS ANGELES — LAFC is headed to the Club World Cup. And Club América is going home.
Less than a week after falling short in the Liga MX final, América suffered another blow — this time on foreign soil. Backed by a large supporters section here at BMO Stadium that at times drowned out the home team's fans, the Mexican giants pushed LAFC to the brink, but it was the MLS side that delivered in extra time; Denis Bouanga's deflected shot broke a 115th-minute deadlock and sealed the deal.
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In Saturday's high-stakes play-in game for León's vacated Club World Cup slot, LAFC edged América 2-1, and secured Major League Soccer a third place in the expanded global tournament.
For LAFC, it's redemption against a Mexican side in a high-profile setting after losing to León in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
The first real threat from LAFC came in the 18th minute after Sebastian Caceres' reckless studs-up challenge of Mark Delgado earned him a yellow card. After Delgado received treatment, LAFC's freekick from near center field found Nathan Ordaz inside the box, but his left-footed shot went just wide of the goalpost.
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It was the same Mark Delgado who in the 63rd minute would respond with his own ugly challenge to earn himself a yellow card. But Delgado's rough tackle of Erick Sanchez was inside LAFC's box. And after a VAR review of the play, a penalty was awarded. Brian Rodríguez, who spent four years at LAFC, drilled the penalty shot past Hugo Lloris to put América on the board.
Then, in the 89th minute, with América having one foot in the Club World Cup's door, LAFC found the equalizer. Dennis Bouanga's corner kick found Igor Sanchez inside the box and the midfielder's header sailed into the net.
After seven minutes of intense stoppage time with LAFC almost finding the winner, 30 minutes of play were added. And in the 115th minute, Bouanga found the winner.
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The match was arranged after León — originally set to represent Liga MX after winning the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League (now Cup) over LAFC — was ruled ineligible due to a FIFA rule prohibiting multiple teams from the same owner to be in the tournament. That opened the door for 2023 runners-up LAFC and América, the No. 1 team in FIFA's CONCACAF rankings at the end of 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
With the win, LAFC joins a Club World Cup field that already includes Real Madrid, Manchester City and newly crowned Champions League winners PSG. They will compete in Group D alongside Chelsea (England), Flamengo (Brazil) and Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia). In their first group stage fixture on June 16, they will face Chelsea inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. They'll follow that with a June 20 match in Nashville vs. Espérance and a June 24 tilt vs. Flamengo in Orlando.
The 32-team tournament kicks off June 14 in Miami Gardens, Florida, with Inter Miami facing Egypt's Al Ahly.
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