Now that, is vintage. After what has been a fairly slow start, by LAFC’s standards, to the 2025 campaign, the team faced its biggest test of the early season when they hosted Columbus Crew in the first leg of the Champions Cup last night. In the last couple of years the Crew have beat LAFC the last three meetings, across three competitions, with two of those wins resulting in Columbus lifting silverware. Now, in the tournament Los Angeles want to win most, they had yet another meeting with the Eastern Conference side rapidly rising the ranks of rivalry, and after last night, its sure to only get more intense.
First leg ✔️#LAFCvCLB | @TheChampions pic.twitter.com/396pnsOxiZ
— LAFC (@LAFC) March 5, 2025
What really made this match more nervy than most coming in, was the history. Not only had Columbus gotten the best of LAFC the last three times, but they had done so both at home and on the road. The last time they were in Los Angeles before last night, they enjoyed a 1-5 thrashing of the home side. Not only that, but in the last three matches, this is a team that held LAFC to just a single goal in each meeting and when you consider the form around those meetings, its no surprise the anxiety was high coming into this matchup, while in a form that already has seen the team settle for hard-fought 1-0 wins. It was a question of, if not now, when, for this typically potent attack. Well, LAFC gave us the answer, and it turns out there really is no time like the present.
Last night was very much a vintage performance from the West Coast black & gold. The team was very happy to give up possession that didn’t threaten, with Columbus finishing the first half with 66% of the possession. They also finished the half with just three shots and hardly any looks at goal. LAFC, on the other hand, looked like their usual selves. They went into the halftime break with seven shots, three finding their target, and most importantly they were finally able to get the early goal. Coming out applying pressure early and often, it only took 20 minutes for it to break Columbus. The Crew defense was caught napping by Denis Bouanga who picked the ball off the foot of the defender, dribbled his way around the goalkeeper and slotted home about as easy a goal as you can get at the professional level.
Knee slide needs some practice @BouangaDenis pic.twitter.com/5gTRPxdPOZ
— LAFC (@LAFC) March 5, 2025
For a moment, especially after that goal, it looked like LAFC were set for a big night. To be fair, they ended up having one, but the Bouanga goal was the lone score we saw the opening half, when it felt like there definitely could have been more for the home side. It seems the team felt the same, as they came out for the second half not wasting any time in dashing any hope Columbus may have had at finding an equalizer. Just minutes into the second half, the 49th to be exact, Denis Bouanga got his brace in spectacular fashion. Doing his thing, dribbling down the side of the pitch, he couldn’t find any teammates in positions he felt good about, so instead of sending a ball into the box hoping for a corner or moment of brilliance, he created one himself. With an audacious attempt from the angle, he didn’t smash, but lobbed in a ball that was both a curler and chip shot, finding its way over the keeper and into the net for his second of the night.
WHAT A GOAL! 🤯
Superb finish by Denis Bouanga to make the score 2-0! ✨ pic.twitter.com/SdvqTa4Vz1
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) March 5, 2025
“It was wonderful, I was eager to score those two goals” said LAFC forward Denis Bouanga when speaking to media (via translator) after the win. “It’s great for the team, it’s revenge, we’re only halfway through but it’s good.” The start to the year has been a mirror image for Bouanga who failed to score in the first four matches last season before scoring a brace that kickstarted his campaign. After going scoreless the first four matches this season, his brace last night helps not only himself in terms of confidence and form, but it couldn’t have come at a better time as it gives the team a lot more breathing room going into what will undoubtedly be a difficult second leg on the road.
The cherry on top came late in the match as LAFC drove the final nail in the coffin on the night, courtesy of a goal by academy product and rising star, Nathan Ordaz. In the 81st minute, a corner for LAFC didn’t find its original target, but the headed effort from Columbus failed to clear out the ball enough as it landed to Ordaz who didn’t even take a touch, just struck it true off the deflection and slammed it home for the third goal of the night.
Nathan Ordaz makes it 3️⃣ for LAFC! 🌟#ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/rCva3PBtkP
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) March 5, 2025
“We haven’t beat Columbus yet, this is a two-leg series” said Cherundolo. “We need to have another stellar performance in Columbus to move on in this competition. I think then it’s a better feeling to knock out a very, very strong team. So we still have our work cut out for us.” While they have set themselves up nicely, Cherundolo is not wrong to want to keep his team sharp. The Crew are absolutely one of the few teams that could erase this deficit in a heartbeat back at their place.
After enjoying a nice four match home stand, the team get set for a pair of very tough road matches, starting with the first proper rivalry match of the new season as they head North to take on Seattle Sounders. The Western Conference foes are also navigating life in Champions Cup, so it will be interesting to see how they handle the weekend meeting with eyes no doubt fixed on the midweek matches to come.
Thoughts on the leg one win over Columbus? Leave a comment below!