Berliner Boersenzeitung - LAFC qualify for Club World Cup with win over Club America

EUR -
AED 4.194411
AFN 79.947642
ALL 94.105403
AMD 438.296922
ANG 2.044016
AOA 1047.317223
ARS 1353.641906
AUD 1.758905
AWG 2.057231
AZN 1.935796
BAM 1.961619
BBD 2.305017
BDT 139.505036
BGN 1.956302
BHD 0.430629
BIF 3398.440313
BMD 1.142113
BND 1.472555
BOB 7.88833
BRL 6.435061
BSD 1.141877
BTN 98.031934
BWP 15.334756
BYN 3.73605
BYR 22385.411899
BZD 2.293182
CAD 1.562188
CDF 3272.153487
CHF 0.934727
CLF 0.027922
CLP 1071.473496
CNY 8.228125
CNH 8.193889
COP 4692.564812
CRC 580.617202
CUC 1.142113
CUP 30.265991
CVE 110.593538
CZK 24.82153
DJF 202.976412
DKK 7.459713
DOP 67.40907
DZD 150.327247
EGP 56.727033
ERN 17.131693
ETB 153.215063
FJD 2.567755
FKP 0.844752
GBP 0.842885
GEL 3.129164
GGP 0.844752
GHS 11.703614
GIP 0.844752
GMD 82.232341
GNF 9894.436523
GTQ 8.7731
GYD 238.838467
HKD 8.958945
HNL 29.694583
HRK 7.534401
HTG 149.351715
HUF 403.428185
IDR 18613.355783
ILS 3.98132
IMP 0.844752
INR 98.111777
IQD 1496.167836
IRR 48111.50377
ISK 144.648365
JEP 0.844752
JMD 182.100164
JOD 0.809787
JPY 162.989744
KES 147.906003
KGS 99.877975
KHR 4591.293415
KMF 492.251111
KPW 1027.862129
KRW 1557.967267
KWD 0.349852
KYD 0.951339
KZT 582.643194
LAK 24669.638211
LBP 102333.311192
LKR 341.683537
LRD 226.880955
LSL 20.786413
LTL 3.372362
LVL 0.690853
LYD 6.228476
MAD 10.50385
MDL 19.704795
MGA 5162.349936
MKD 61.538656
MMK 2397.925909
MNT 4083.770557
MOP 9.227514
MRU 45.219531
MUR 52.296147
MVR 17.657203
MWK 1981.566432
MXN 21.929669
MYR 4.850582
MZN 73.106659
NAD 20.786353
NGN 1804.709457
NIO 42.054996
NOK 11.546287
NPR 156.852271
NZD 1.89457
OMR 0.43915
PAB 1.141576
PEN 4.176135
PGK 4.704934
PHP 63.65562
PKR 322.077078
PLN 4.28133
PYG 9122.098838
QAR 4.162365
RON 5.049345
RSD 117.235633
RUB 90.513298
RWF 1615.319813
SAR 4.283592
SBD 9.52972
SCR 16.237396
SDG 685.836815
SEK 10.943674
SGD 1.469254
SHP 0.897521
SLE 25.948187
SLL 23949.535694
SOS 652.71744
SRD 42.315473
STD 23639.430119
SVC 9.988717
SYP 14849.589332
SZL 20.789444
THB 37.231385
TJS 11.302024
TMT 3.997395
TND 3.403496
TOP 2.674939
TRY 44.867559
TTD 7.736882
TWD 34.214254
TZS 3064.521805
UAH 47.323476
UGX 4157.295395
USD 1.142113
UYU 47.601618
UZS 14670.440104
VES 108.325435
VND 29790.871631
VUV 137.715133
WST 3.140251
XAF 657.914333
XAG 0.03308
XAU 0.000338
XCD 3.086617
XDR 0.818651
XOF 655.572576
XPF 119.331742
YER 278.504087
ZAR 20.35027
ZMK 10280.390158
ZMW 29.482195
ZWL 367.759872
  • RBGPF

    -1.5000

    67.5

    -2.22%

  • CMSC

    0.0899

    22.2

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0587

    22.21

    +0.26%

  • SCS

    -0.1600

    10.37

    -1.54%

  • AZN

    1.1800

    73

    +1.62%

  • BTI

    -0.1750

    46.17

    -0.38%

  • RIO

    -0.3000

    58.55

    -0.51%

  • NGG

    -0.2700

    71.05

    -0.38%

  • RYCEF

    0.1150

    12.15

    +0.95%

  • GSK

    0.3300

    40.8

    +0.81%

  • RELX

    0.2950

    54.36

    +0.54%

  • BCC

    -0.0050

    87.54

    -0.01%

  • VOD

    -0.0450

    10.26

    -0.44%

  • JRI

    -0.0400

    12.94

    -0.31%

  • BCE

    0.0100

    21.96

    +0.05%

  • BP

    -0.6350

    28.92

    -2.2%

LAFC qualify for Club World Cup with win over Club America
LAFC qualify for Club World Cup with win over Club America / Photo: Frederic J. BROWN - AFP

LAFC qualify for Club World Cup with win over Club America

Denis Bouanga grabbed a dramatic extra-time winner to send Los Angeles FC into the Club World Cup with a 2-1 (aet) win over Mexico's Club America on Saturday.

Text size:

The team from Mexico City looked to have booked their place - and the guaranteed $9.5 million participation reward - after a penalty from former LAFC player Brian Rodriguez in the 64th minute.

But Brazilian Igor Jesus's 89th minute header for LAFC took the game into extra-time and five minutes from the end of the second period Bouanga drilled home the dramatic winner.

It was a game with high stakes played in front of a boisterous crowd divided between the two teams and the tension was palpable from the outset.

But it was the Californian club, who only began life in MLS seven years ago, who triumphed and earned a spot in the first edition of the expanded 32-team FIFA tournament.

LAFC will line up in Group D of the Club World Cup, where they will face Premier League side Chelsea, Brazil's Flamengo and Esperance Tunis of Tunisia in the tournament which gets under way on June 14.

The one-off 'play-in' match came about following FIFA's decision to ban Mexican club Leon from the tournament.

Leon were barred because the club is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also controls Liga MX side Pachuca, who are also taking part in the tournament.

LAFC were given the chance on the basis of finishing as runners-up to Leon in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.

America, founded 108 years ago, were handed the opportunity due to their status as the "top-ranked team" in confederation rankings.

While LAFC had the nominal home field advantage, at their BMO Stadium, California is home to many Club America fans and the result was a de facto neutral venue.

The atmosphere was electric but chances were rare in the opening half with the Mexican team enjoying the better possession but causing few problems for LA's former France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

But when Mark Delgado's challenge on Erick Sanchez in the box was ruled a foul, after a VAR review, substitute Rodriguez kept his cool and sent Lloris the wrong way to put America ahead.

Rodriguez had a chance to secure the outcome 10 minutes later but he floated his shot wide.

The introduction of former France and Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud in the 74th minute proved to be decisive, however, with the 38-year-old's presence causing plenty of problems for the America back line.

- Thundering header -

Giroud's improvised shot with the outside of his foot forced Luis Malagon into a save and moments later the Club America keeper kept out a header from the Frenchman.

With just a minute of normal time remaining, LAFC grabbed a lifeline when a Bouanga corner was met with a thundering header from Jesus.

LAFC almost won the game in regulation but Malagon did brilliantly to keep out a cross/shot from Timothy Tillman that was heading towards the top corner.

Then it was extra-time and with penalties looming, Frankie Amaya fed a ball in to Giroud on the edge of the box who laid off to the on-rushing Bouanga whose fierce shot took a wicked deflection and flashed past the helpless Malagon.

The France-born Gabon international has scored 80 goals for LA, in all competitions, since joining the club from Saint Etienne in 2022 but none more valuable than this one.

The win ensures that the tournament host nation will have three competing teams from Major League Soccer with the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami already in the competition.

The tournament concludes with a final in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13 with the winner taking home over $100 million.

(G.Gruner--BBZ)