Opening game for the Leagues Cup for LAFC and their opponent is the famed Liga MX side, Chivas. BMO is filled with Chivas fans. It might as well been held in Guadalajara, because it’s 90% Chivas fans taking over. Huge sell out crowd for this game one of the Leagues Cup.
The crowd was amped up and intense from the start. Must feel weird for LAFC to be booed at home and early on when they touched the ball they would hear the boos. LA will have to overcome Chivas and the *welp* home crowd.
Slower start for both squads. Not much threatening action on either end. At some point someone will need to push and open up this game. Both teams have plenty enough of firepower offensively.
Things really started heating up after the 35th minute and LAFC struck the first punch in the 38th. Timmy Tillman laid off a ball to David Martinez on the wing who crossed it inside to the sprinting Denis Bouanga who taps it in to the back of the net. Smooth and lethal from LAFC, who take a 1-0 lead against Chivas.
The LA lead didn’t last long. Minutes later Chivas answered. Courtesy of Alvarado who pops one that goes goal post to post and across the line to the roar of the pro-Chivas crowd. Big answer by Chivas Guadalajara.
Tied at halftime. It will be interesting to see who is going to go for the win in the second half. Will either team attempt to rest any starters in the second half? We shall see who is going to want it more.
A much more faster paced second half. LA and Chivas are going for the win. LAFC has done well managing the crowd. This looks like two evenly matched teams. Fernando González had the best chance for Chivas in the second half, striking the crossbar. On the other end, LAFC’s Son Heung-Min’s free kick narrowly missed the back of the net.
Regular time ends in a tie. That means penalty shootout in this competition. LAFC has some young players here that will need to step up to secure a victory. Each team scores the first four pens. Then Thomas Hasal comes up with a save on Luis Romo’s PK.
So who gets to step up to seal the win for LAFC? None other than 17-year-old Jude Terry. What does Terry do? Steps up calmly and buries it! Cool as a cucumber. Terry wins it for LAFC. It’s the biggest moment for Terry in his young career and looked like a 10 year pro on that PK. Marc Dos Santos must be loving it as much as his teammates who run over to celebrate with Terry.
LA wins the game and gets two points out of it. Chivas leave in surprise and dismay to all the fans on hand that were there to support them.
Payer of the Match:
It’s a toss up between Hasal and Terry. I’ll go with the 17 year old with ice in his veins. Came up huge and got the team the victory. What a moment for the kid!
Next Match:
LAFC returns to Leagues Cup action on Saturday, August 8, when they take on Toluca at BMO Stadium in a rematch of the clubs’ Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal series from earlier this year.