LAFC 3-0 Columbus Crew: Bouanga Decisive as Black & Gold Take Commanding Lead in Concacaf Champions Cup

LAFC dominated Columbus Crew with a convincing 3-0 win at BMO Stadium, securing a strong advantage in their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 matchup. With two goals from Denis Bouanga and one from Christian Ordaz, Steve Cherundolo’s team heads to Ohio next week with a comfortable lead.

First Half: Columbus Controls Possession Early but Pays for a Costly Mistake

Columbus started the match with two and a half minutes of uninterrupted possession, controlling the ball in midfield and making LAFC chase without success. However, despite their dominance in possession, they failed to create clear scoring opportunities.

At the 15-minute mark, LAFC ramped up the pressure, forcing Columbus into mistakes. A defensive miscue led to a golden opportunity for Bouanga, who capitalized to make it 1-0 for Black & Gold.

The goal forced Columbus to be more aggressive, leaving space at the back. LAFC had a few promising 3v2 counterattacks, but poor decision-making in the final pass prevented them from extending the lead.

Columbus’ best chance in the first half came from Diego Rossi, but the former LAFC forward sent his shot over the bar. Meanwhile, Igor Jesus showcased his midfield quality, drawing defenders and creating overloads with smart outlet passes. However, his aggressive play also earned him an early yellow card.

Second Half: Lightning-Quick Goal and LAFC Domination

LAFC came out of the break determined to put the game away. Just minutes into the second half, Bouanga struck again with a stunning goal, firing a tight-angle shot from the edge of the box that clipped the crossbar and sailed over Patrick Schulte into the net: 2-0.

After the second goal, Columbus settled down and controlled possession for about 15 minutes, forcing LAFC to weather some pressure. Still, LAFC nearly added a third when Bouanga delivered a perfect cross to David Martinez, but the forward missed a clear chance.

In the 79th minute, LAFC sealed the win. Nathan Ordaz, who had just subbed in for Martinez, pounced on a loose ball from a set piece to make it 3-0.

With the game in hand, Igor Jesus and Jeremy Ebobisse were replaced by Nkosi Tafari and Eddie Segura, as LAFC comfortably saw out the remaining minutes.

Next Match: Columbus Must Respond

With a 3-0 advantage, LAFC heads into the second leg at Lower.com Field with one foot in the quarterfinals. Columbus Crew will need a flawless performance at home to turn the series around. Meanwhile, in league play, the Black and Gold will head to Seattle to face the Sounders in the 3rd matchweek of the season in Major League Soccer.

Second Leg: Columbus Crew vs. LAFC

📅 Date: March 11
📍 Venue: Lower.com Field – Columbus, OH
📺 Broadcast: Fox Sports (FS2)