Eldin Jakupovic recorded a clean sheet on debut. Denil Maldonado dropped a defensive masterclass on full debut. Yet both performances were overlooked by full-time as Denis Bouanga stole the show once again for LAFC, recording his second hat trick of the season.
Match Summary
With considerable rotation from LAFC due to CCL, Austin FC came out the better side, dominating possession in the early going. They passed the ball around the LAFC half without causing any attacking threat in the final third. LAFC attempted to counter-attack when possession was won but had difficulty playing out of their own half. This was the boring game flow for the first 30 minutes.
At that time, Steve Cherundolo made a tactical tweak, switching his midfield from the traditional #6 with two #8s into two #6s and a single #10. This allowed LAFC to get more pressure on the ball, preventing being overrun in midfield.
Ten minutes later, the change in tactics was rewarded with a generous deflection as the ball fell to the feet of Denis Bouanga at the top of the 18-yard box. He quickly shuffled his feet, slamming home his shot with a kiss off the inside of the post to put LAFC up 1-0.
He was just getting started.
As the second half began more evenly balanced, Denis Bouanga gave the defending champs a cushion with a sensational volleyed strike from a flicked-on corner. Many players wouldn’t even attempt what Denis Bouanga was able to execute to perfection.
Surely that was the best goal of the day then, right? Maybe.
After recording two braces this season, Denis Bouanga ensured he matched that tally with his second hat trick. As he floated unmarked to the back post, Sergi Palencia delivered a perfect cross from the right flank, finding Bouanga in the six-yard box for a sensational half-volley finish into the roof of the net.
Three minutes later, he received his curtain call, a standing ovation, and M-V-P chants from the BMO Stadium faithful.
Denis Bouanga: Another Hat-Trick
Eleven goals and three assists in nine matches. The numbers are incredible.
Last week I wrote about how Denis Bouanga is the MVP frontrunner. Let me take it a step further. Denis Bouanga is the best player, not only in MLS but all of CONCACAF at the moment.
Thiago Almada is the only one who comes close.
The MLS record for goals scored in a single season was set in 2019 by LAFC Captain Carlos Vela who managed 34 goals in only 31 matches. Denis Bouanga is on track to equal that tally. He is also on track to score even more in all competitions, as he has 5 goals in the CONCACAF Champions League, a competition Vela didn’t compete in back in 2019.
I compare these two because nothing else compares to the form Denis Bouanga is in. There is a similar aura around BMO Stadium this season. When Bouanga picks up the ball, conversations stop, eyeballs open wide, and the noise level rises. Chicho Arango occasionally received M-V-P chants as Vela and Bouanga have, but the excitement every time Bouanga touches the ball is, simply put, different.
“I feel it every time I have the ball.” Bouanga told me, “Every time I want to do something I feel the fans. It makes me want to do even better with scoring or passing a good ball.”
The LAFC fans, including the notorious 3252, provide the “12th man” for LAFC, Bouanga explained. It’s not only everything on the pitch but everything in the stands that is going right for LAFC.
Steve Cherundolo: Record Breaker
With this win vs Austin FC, Steve Cherundolo has become the fastest MLS coach to 25 regular season wins in the non-shootout era.
Personally, Cherundolo wasn’t even aware of the record until he was informed. Individual accolades are never his focus, nor does he even care.
That being said, this record means something. Cherundolo reached the 25-win mark a full six games earlier than the next quickest coach (Frank Yallop; 46 games). Sure he had a great team and that helps, but it’s easy to forget that Cherundolo was not the first choice option for LAFC fans.
The Black and Gold faithful wanted a big-name manager; somebody with extensive experience at the top level. Instead, John Thorrington put his faith in Steve Cherundolo who had a total of one year of experience in USL with Las Vegas Lights at the time.
Just over a year later, there is no doubt Steve Cherundolo is one of the best coaches in MLS, having built a team with an expectation of winning.
This consistency is something I have personally never seen in MLS. The ability to produce results across multiple competitions, without faltering, in a league built on parity. This was previously an ability reserved only for the very best teams in Europe.
I asked Cherundolo if this unprecedented consistency across multiple competitions is a goal for his team.
“It’s certainly not something I think about.” Cherundolo explained to me, “I don’t know if we’ve solved anything. We’re six games into the season and two rounds of the Champions League. I’d love to answer the same question at the end of the season.”
If LAFC maintains this consistency over the entire season, I vow to satisfy Cherundolo’s request.
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