Latest news with #Cherundolo
New York Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
LAFC's Club World Cup play-in triumph was culminating moment, says coach Cherundolo
Steve Cherundolo sprinted towards the corner flag, his arms raised in celebration. When LAFC striker Denis Bouanga's extra-time winner pierced the Club América net, the club's normally reserved head coach simply could not contain his emotions. After LAFC's 2-1 win over the Mexican side booked a spot in the upcoming Club World Cup, Cherundolo confessed that he has a tendency to dwell on moments when LAFC has come up short. Inside the BMO Stadium press conference room, the 46-year-old former U.S. international attempted to recall memories that he'd rather forget. Advertisement 'I tend to hear all of the losses and not the wins and all of the great moments of this team and what this club has done over the last three and a half years,' said Cherundolo. 'And so it's exactly what you saw. It's just pure raw emotion. It's me wanting to celebrate with our players and our fans because they deserve it and we deserve it.' Cherundolo is leaving LAFC at the end of the season, the club announcing that he and his family will return to Germany for personal and professional reasons. Over his three-year span as head coach, Cherundolo has led the club to an MLS Cup title in 2022, a Supporters' Shield that same season and a U.S. Open Cup in 2024. There have been disappointments, as well, namely the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup final loss to León. It was a defeat that appeared to rob LAFC of a chance to compete at a Club World Cup. León's expulsion from the tournament gave LAFC a lifeline. They would have to get past a Club América team that has made history in Mexico after winning three consecutive Liga MX titles and narrowly failing to add another last week. What felt like an uphill battle against a much stronger side on paper ended in euphoria on Saturday night. Bouanga, who had terrorized América's fullbacks all night, celebrated with his trademark front flip in the 115th minute. It was a dagger in the hearts of the Mexicans. For Cherundolo, it was an instance that brought his tenure at LAFC full circle. It wasn't a golden goal, but it felt like one for LAFC's staff and rabid community of fans. 'It's kind of a culmination of three and a half years of hard work and dedication that just kind of explodes in that moment,' he said. 'And I don't know if it's intuition, but I felt very comfortable after that. There's no chance, no chance of ever losing that game.' When Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio blew his whistle to start the match, the LAFC and América supporters' sections simultaneously released smoke flares, in black and yellow, respectively, which engulfed the pitch and set the mood. FIFA's Club World Cup concept suddenly felt very real. The game was tense and spirited. It felt like a cup final, and the prize at stake — a guarantee of at least $9.55 million — was very real. If this is what FIFA had in mind when the governing body created the 32-team tournament, much to the initial dismay of players and clubs alike, well, so far so good. Advertisement If the participating teams deliver the type of effort that both LAFC and Club América displayed on Saturday night, FIFA may in fact be onto something. But this play-in match was an outlier of sorts. The U.S. vs. Mexico rivalry was on the line. It's always a battle of football culture when an MLS team faces a Mexican side. Pride was at stake in Los Angeles. It wouldn't have surprised many to have seen América advance to the Club World Cup. Under Brazilian manager Andre Jardine, Las Aguilas (the eagles) have tasted domestic success on a continuum. The recent glut of success has had pundits in Mexico debating whether this América team was the best in the club's 108-year history. A devastating loss to Toluca in an intense two-legged Liga MX final last Sunday, had left América wounded emotionally and physically before the play-in match. To add more pressure to the equation, a loss to an MLS team is unacceptable no matter how much MLS has closed the perceived gap between the two leagues. LAFC is a club with eight years of existence. They're a toddler in comparison to the seasoned Mexican club that has already celebrated a centenary of continuance. But outside of Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders, the two MLS teams that had already qualified for the tournament finals, on Saturday, LAFC were the envy of their MLS counterparts. And according to Cherundolo, the win was a seminal moment not just for LAFC, but for MLS as a whole. 'As a club, I think it puts you above and beyond many, many other clubs in the MLS,' Cherundolo claimed. 'I think it puts you at a different level. And it is also a help for the entire league of putting the league on the map at the Club World Cup with one more team. I think it's an important night for everybody involved in our sport in this country and more specifically in this league.' Advertisement While LAFC is a young club it is certainly no slouch in Concacaf. In 2020 LAFC eliminated a favored América side in the semifinals of the Champions Cup. Since then LAFC has added players, sold key personnel and overhauled its squad like most MLS clubs do every offseason. 'We maximize and stretch every single dollar to try to compete with the best in our region,' Cherundolo said. 'And now we get to compete with the best in the world, but it is not always going to work like that. You do need to stay competitive financially, as well.' Against América, a team with internationals at nearly every position, LAFC had Hugo Lloris in goal, a World Cup winner with France in 2018. Former Arsenal center forward Olivier Giroud entered in the second half and made a big impact, despite playing a small part in LAFC's 2025 season thus far. LAFC's most influential French national, however, is Bouanga. In typical fashion, the Gabon international was a threat all night with his tireless running and clever dribbling. 'I'm always hungry,' Bouanga said through a translator in the stadium mixed zone. '(Extra time) felt like a third half. I love the game of football. I always try to give the best of myself. I always give 100 percent in every game.' 'This guy's relentless, man,' LAFC defender Aaron Long said of Bouanga. 'He's the best. There's not enough good things you can say about Denis. He shows up every game, plays 90 minutes, every game. He can run forever. He just puts fear into anyone he's playing against. And by the end of the game, he just wears you down. It was a fantastic performance. I'm happy it was him that scored the winning goal. He deserves it.' LAFC was truly the better team. Perhaps Cherundolo's comments on Friday were as intentional as they sounded, though. Despite being confident in his team's preparation for the match, Cherundolo didn't mince words when asked to compare the two teams. 'We're the underdogs,' he said with a straight face. The game, however, told a different story. LAFC was the aggressor throughout the night. They had Club América on their heels and should've put the game away on numerous occasions. The extra time period was a reprieve for the Mexican side. It became a second chance to steal the victory from the supposedly undermanned MLS outfit. When former LAFC winger Brian Rodríguez converted an América penalty in the 64th minute, it briefly energized a team that had begun to show signs of wear and tear. América stood their ground and in the 89th minute, Jardine went to his bench, making a number of substitutions in an effort to close out the 1-0 win. Advertisement The decision backfired. LAFC defensive midfielder Igor Jesus scored from a corner kick seconds later and sent BMO Stadium into an absolute frenzy. After the match Jardine was pressed by multiple Mexican reporters about that sequence of events. Jardine has considerable equity in Mexico. No coach had ever won three straight Liga MX titles until he did. On Friday, Jardine was asked if he envisioned himself at the club for the long-term. If he wanted to emulate former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and remain with América for double digit years. Jardine shook off the question, but after the loss to LAFC, he was being battered about his tactics and late-game adjustments. 'It hurts. We're all very hurt,' Jardine said, before acknowledging that the criticism may be justified. América's fall from grace will be debated heavily in Mexico. Stateside, LAFC will enjoy the momentary hype that comes with earning a Club World Cup berth. América may not agree, but the play-in match lived up to its billing. 'This feels amazing,' Cherundolo said. 'And there's no better way to qualify for a tournament than winning games. When the idea was presented to us, we all kind of shrugged. But after seeing and living through that tonight, what a great idea. I think both teams fought extremely hard for it.'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Reconnecting with Europe: Why LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo is stepping down
Since taking over as LAFC coach, Steve Cherundolo has a league-best 59 wins and an 88-43-28 record in all competitions. (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press) Three weeks ago Steve Cherundolo said this season would be his last as coach at LAFC. On Wednesday he explained why. 'I just feel like the next step, reconnecting with the European game and coaching in Europe, is something that I would like to do,' said Cherundolo, who is returning to Germany, where he starred as a player. 'The timing of it and the messaging, I think the sooner the better so we can all kind of plan and move forward and get it out of the way and focus on this season's goals. Advertisement 'I'm not a great fan of leaving things to the last minute.' Cherundolo, 46, spent his entire 16-year club career in Germany at Hannover, where he met his wife, started a family and still owns a house. That's also where he started coaching. The decision to go back was a family one, he said, as was the decision to come to the U.S. four years ago. 'I don't think there's anything negative about it for me. It's all opportunity and positive about the next chapter,' said Cherundolo, who grew up in San Diego. 'That's how we saw moving back to Los Angeles: We saw a great opportunity and as a family, more of an adventure. 'And now we see something similar moving back to Europe.' Advertisement Read more: LAFC to play for spot in FIFA Club World Cup after Mexican soccer club León loses appeal Cherundolo said he intends to continue coaching but said he hasn't lined up anything for next season, preferring instead to focus on the remainder of this season. 'It's really hard to plan seven months in advance in coaching,' he said. 'Not many clubs are willing to wait that long for a particular coach unless your name is Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp. And last time I checked my passport, that's not my name. 'So no, there's nothing immediately around the corner and I actually kind of like that. I'm excited about what project would be next.' Advertisement Cherundolo got his managerial start in Hannover's academy system, then coached LAFC's affiliate in the second-division USL Championship — going 6-23-3 — in 2021 before taking over for Bob Bradley in MLS a year later. And in three-plus seasons, he established himself as one of the most successful coaches in league history. As a rookie manager, he became the only man to win both the Supporter's Shield and MLS Cup in his first season. He also won the 2024 U.S. Open Cup and took LAFC to the title game of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup. His 59 regular-season wins since 2022 are the most of any MLS coach over that span; he's gone 88-43-28 and played in six finals in all competitions. And he's done that with a revolving door at the entrance to his team's locker room since just two players, defenders Ryan Hollingshead and Eddie Segura, remain from the roster he inherited in 2022. His final season is shaping up as his most challenging, and not because the announcement of his impending departure last month makes him a lame-duck coach. At 5-4-2, LAFC is already nine points back in the Supporter's Shield race yet they can play their way into the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup with a victory over Mexico's Club América later this month. Advertisement Read more: Nathan Ordaz and Jeremy Ebobisse lead LAFC to victory over Houston Cherundolo said the decision to return to Germany was made 'a couple of months ago' but he didn't share it publicly until the team was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup on April 9. The announcement came eight days later. 'No hidden agenda or other reason,' he said of the timing. 'It was really just to maintain focus.' Doing that, he said, will be easier now that his short-term future is set. 'There's nothing to hold back,' he said. 'It makes it easier to push even harder to end on the most positive note possible. What other people think about it, I'm not in control of nor do I spend any time wasting energy on that. That's not my issue. The team is my issue. Advertisement 'Everybody is locked in and focused on being as successful as possible.' Cherundolo also said the move back to Germany doesn't mean he has to stay there. His name has come up in conversations about the U.S. national team job, which will come open after next year's World Cup, and there will certainly be opportunities to return to MLS some day, so he's not closing any doors. 'No, no,' he said. 'All options on the table.' This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Reconnecting with Europe: Why LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo is stepping down
Three weeks ago Steve Cherundolo said this season would be his last as coach at LAFC. On Wednesday he explained why. 'I just feel like the next step, reconnecting with the European game and coaching in Europe, is something that I would like to do,' said Cherundolo, who is returning to Germany, where he starred as a player. 'The timing of it and the messaging, I think the sooner the better so we can all kind of plan and move forward and get it out of the way and focus on this season's goals. 'I'm not a great fan of leaving things to the last minute.' Cherundolo, 46, spent his entire 16-year club career in Germany at Hannover, where he met his wife, started a family and still owns a house. That's also where he started coaching. The decision to go back was a family one, he said, as was the decision to come to the U.S. four years ago. 'I don't think there's anything negative about it for me. It's all opportunity and positive about the next chapter,' said Cherundolo, who grew up in San Diego. 'That's how we saw moving back to Los Angeles: We saw a great opportunity and as a family, more of an adventure. 'And now we see something similar moving back to Europe.' Cherundolo said he intends to continue coaching but said he hasn't lined up anything for next season, preferring instead to focus on the remainder of this season. 'It's really hard to plan seven months in advance in coaching,' he said. 'Not many clubs are willing to wait that long for a particular coach unless your name is Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp. And last time I checked my passport, that's not my name. 'So no, there's nothing immediately around the corner and I actually kind of like that. I'm excited about what project would be next.' Cherundolo got his managerial start in Hannover's academy system, then coached LAFC's affiliate in the second-division USL Championship — going 6-23-3 — in 2021 before taking over for Bob Bradley in MLS a year later. And in three-plus seasons, he established himself as one of the most successful coaches in league history. As a rookie manager, he became the only man to win both the Supporter's Shield and MLS Cup in his first season. He also won the 2024 U.S. Open Cup and took LAFC to the title game of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup. His 59 regular-season wins since 2022 are the most of any MLS coach over that span; he's gone 88-43-28 and played in six finals in all competitions. And he's done that with a revolving door at the entrance to his team's locker room since just two players, defenders Ryan Hollingshead and Eddie Segura, remain from the roster he inherited in 2022. His final season is shaping up as his most challenging, and not because the announcement of his impending departure last month makes him a lame-duck coach. At 5-4-2, LAFC is already nine points back in the Supporter's Shield race yet they can play their way into the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup with a victory over Mexico's Club América later this month. Cherundolo said the decision to return to Germany was made 'a couple of months ago' but he didn't share it publicly until the team was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup on April 9. The announcement came eight days later. 'No hidden agenda or other reason,' he said of the timing. 'It was really just to maintain focus.' Doing that, he said, will be easier now that his short-term future is set. 'There's nothing to hold back,' he said. 'It makes it easier to push even harder to end on the most positive note possible. What other people think about it, I'm not in control of nor do I spend any time wasting energy on that. That's not my issue. The team is my issue. 'Everybody is locked in and focused on being as successful as possible.' Cherundolo also said the move back to Germany doesn't mean he has to stay there. His name has come up in conversations about the U.S. national team job, which will come open after next year's World Cup, and there will certainly be opportunities to return to MLS some day, so he's not closing any doors. 'No, no,' he said. 'All options on the table.' Page 2
Los Angeles Times
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Late Denis Bouanga lifts LAFC to tie with Portland Timbers
PORTLAND, Ore. — Denis Bouanga converted a penalty kick in the 90th minute to pull LAFC into a 3-3 draw against the Portland Timbers on Saturday night. Felipe Mora scored twice for the Timbers, who remained undefeated in their last six matches. Portland hasn't lost since March 8 at Nashville. Olivier Giroud scored his first goal in league play for LAFC. Los Angeles coach Steve Cherundolo was handed a red card in the second half. On Friday, Cherundolo announced that he is leaving the team following the 2025 season. In his fourth season with LAFC, he said he plans to move with his family back to Germany, where he spent his pro career. Cherundolo led Los Angeles to an MLS Cup title in 2022. LAFC appeared to score in the second minute of the game but it was called offside. Portland went ahead in the ninth minute when Mora converted a penalty kick after he was fouled in the box by LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Loris. Moments later, another LAFC goal was nullified by an offside call. The Timbers made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute with Santiago Moreno's goal from the center of the box that evaded Loris and defender Sergi Palencia. LAFC pulled one back before halftime with Giroud's first MLS goal on free kick from just outside the penalty area. Afterward the Frenchman knelt to the field and pointed toward the sky with both hands. LAFC tied the match at 2 on David Martínez's goal in the 62nd minute, but Mora quickly answered with a header that put Portland ahead again in the 64th. Jonathan Rodriguez made his season debut for the Timbers as a second-half substitute. He had been sidelined by a knee injury.
CBS News
20-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bouanga converts late penalty to pull LAFC into 3-3 draw with Portland
Denis Bouanga converted a penalty kick in the 90th minute to pull LAFC into a 3-3 draw against the Portland Timbers on Saturday night. Felipe Mora scored twice for the Timbers, who remained undefeated in their last six matches. Portland hasn't lost since March 8 at Nashville. Olivier Giroud scored his first goal in league play for LAFC. Los Angeles coach Steve Cherundolo was handed a red card in the second half. On Friday, Cherundolo announced that he is leaving the team following the 2025 season. In his fourth season with LAFC, he said he plans to move with his family back to Germany, where he spent his pro career. Cherundolo led Los Angeles to an MLS Cup title in 2022. LAFC appeared to score in the second minute of the game but it was called offside. Portland went ahead in the ninth minute when Mora converted a penalty kick after he was fouled in the box by LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Loris. Moments later, another LAFC goal was nullified by an offside call. The Timbers made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute with Santiago Moreno's goal from the center of the box that evaded Loris and defender Sergi Palencia. LAFC pulled one back before halftime with Giroud's first MLS goal on free kick from just outside the penalty area. Afterward the Frenchman knelt to the field and pointed toward the sky with both hands. LAFC tied the match at 2 on David Martínez's goal in the 62nd minute, but Mora quickly answered with a header that put Portland ahead again in the 64th. Jonathan Rodriguez made his season debut for the Timbers as a second-half substitute. He had been sidelined by a knee injury.
