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LAFC 4, San Jose Earthquakes 2: Bouanga hat-trick lifts Los Angeles to victory in six goal thriller

Historic hat-trick from Bouanga seals three points on the road for LAFC
Trebor TracyBy 5 Mins Read
LAFC forward Denis Boanga celebrates as he bags hat trick in latest win. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles FC

For the first time since May 2024, LAFC were back in the Bay Area to take on San Jose Earthquakes. Riding a four match win streak over their California rivals, the team looked to get a bit of vengeance for their last trip North, where they lost in pretty convincing fashion. This time around, Los Angeles had some renewed form, a rejuvenated attack, and a brand new superstar in Son Heung-Min, and they wasted no time in showing just how different it would be this time around.

53 seconds. That is all it took for LAFC to find the back of the net and get the lead on the road. Every team hopes to start matches fast, especially on the road, but when you can find the back of the net before the one minute mark hits, that’s a dream start. A fast attack, with quick, decisive passing saw LAFC fly up the pitch to start the match, and within moments LAFC defender Artem Smolyakov was serving up a beauty across the face of goal that found Son Heung-Min who needed just the slightest of taps to put it into the back of the wide open net.

Minutes later, celebrations were started again, this time behind an incredible effort from LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, who flashed some of his defensive skills. With the Earthquakes going towards goal, Bouanga was able to snatch the ball from the feet of the San Jose player, sending him screaming down the flank with not a defender in sight. For yards it was just wide open green grass, Denis with the ball, and a San Jose keeper that was undoubtedly bracing for the inevitable. Despite having the passing option, Bouanga had one thing on his mind, goal, and with a pure strike sent it near post for his first goal of the match.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Just four minutes after his first goal, Denis Bouanga was itching for another. Sergi Palencia looked up just in time to see Bouanga time his run to perfection, leaving the entire San Jose defense standing with their hands up in the hopes of an offside call, but it wasn’t coming. Instead they watched as the Palencia pass found its way to a wide open Bouanga, in full stride, once again streaking towards goal, this time he decided to get a bit cheeky with it, chipping the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net for his brace in the 12th minute of the match. In under 15 minutes, LAFC had a 3-0 lead courtesy of their two biggest stars.

Credit to San Jose, despite getting walloped in the mouth early, they kept fighting and just minutes after going down a third goal, they were able to pull one back. Former LAFC forward Chicho Arango served the assist for his new team, taking on several defenders and getting off the pass just as the defense closed in on him. Preston Judd was there to take the pass as it lingered in the box, and with one touch he sent the ball into the back of the net, fighting off a defender as he did so. This was one of those matches that silenced the, soccer is boring crowd, as we saw four goals in under 20 minutes. While we had an early explosion, things did settle down, eventually going into halftime still at 3-1, LAFC leading the charge.

We had to wait a while before the fifth goal of the game came in, but it was another stunning effort. In the 87th minute LAFC defender Nkosi Tafari sent a gorgeous ball clear across pitch and up towards fellow defender Sergi Palencia who was playing up field. The latter was able to control the ball despite the defender all over him, and got just enough of his head on it to set up a proper assist where he passed it to, you guessed it, Denis Bouanga who was on the run towards goal, finishing it with ease to secure the win, as well as an historic hat-trick. The third goal was his 93rd goal, tying him with club legend Carlos Vela as the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. With a handful of matches to go, surely 94 will come sooner, rather than later.

The team will have a quick turnaround as they get set for some midweek madness this Wednesday, hitting the road to take on Real Salt Lake. The team are still sitting in fifth in the Western Conference, but maintain a few games in hand on those above them, and are closing in fast in the points total. A run to finish the season could see them jump up several spots, but most importantly for them at the moment, continuing to build on current form.

Thoughts on the win and Denis Bouanga tying Carlos Vela? Leave a comment below!

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