Hollingshead, Bouanga spark LAFC to win over Whitecaps in playoff opener
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Defender Ryan Hollingshead and Golden Boot Award-winner Dénis Bouanga each scored targets in every half and Los Angeles FC started defence of its title with a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in a Major League Soccer playoff opener on Saturday night time.
LAFC (15-10-10), the third seed within the Western Conference, grabbed a 1-0 lead on an unassisted objective by Hollingshead within the 18th minute. Brian White scored the equalizer for sixth-seeded Vancouver (12-11-12) within the twenty seventh minute with an help from Andrés Cubas.
LAFC regained the lead two minutes later when Bouanga took passes from Diego Palacios and Giorgio Chiellini and scored. The Whitecaps pulled even at halftime after Ryan Gauld arrange a objective by defender Sam Adekugbe within the fortieth minute.
“The message probably is that it’s not over,” mentioned Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini concerning the message to the staff following the loss.
“We played the last 25 minutes trying to do magic with all offensive players basically on the field.”
Hollingshead gave LAFC the lead for good, scoring unassisted within the 52nd minute. Bouanga added an insurance coverage objective within the sixty fourth with an help from Carlos Vela. Defender Jesús Murillo took a move from Mateusz Bogusz and scored within the eightieth minute to finish the scoring.
Maxime Crépeau didn’t make a save for LAFC. Yohei Takaoka saved one shot for the Whitecaps.
It was the primary time the 2 golf equipment matched up within the post-season. Vancouver beat LAFC on the street for the primary time with a 3-2 victory on June 24. LAFC had gone 4-0-3 in its first seven matchups at dwelling with the Whitecaps, scoring no less than three targets in all 4 wins.
Vancouver closed out the common season with a 7-3-7 mark in its final 17 matches in all competitions and was unbeaten (1-0-4) in its final 5. The Whitecaps and visiting LAFC performed to a 1-1 draw within the regular-season finale.
Bouanga, who led the league with 20 targets within the common season, entered play with 33 targets in all competitions — 12 greater than anybody else.
LAFC travels to play the Whitecaps within the second leg of the collection on Nov. 5.
Whitecaps striker White mentioned his staff is trying to put the loss behind them.
“I believe the moods, you already know, clearly, like I mentioned earlier than it sucks dropping a recreation,” he mentioned.
“But it’s clear slate now, return to Vancouver, and we’ve to deal with successful that recreation that’s all we are able to take into consideration is the following recreation. It’s win or go dwelling now so we’ve to place all our power, all our emotion into that recreation and win at dwelling.”
