Denis Bouanga’s late goal salvaged a point for LAFC as they drew 2-2 with New York Red Bulls at BMO Stadium. The match was filled with excitement from the start, with Emil Forsberg and Lewis Morgan threatening LAFC’s defense early on. Frankie Amaya’s superb pass set up Morgan for a dangerous opportunity, but Aaron Long’s crucial intervention prevented Dante Vanzeir from converting. Unfortunately, Long sustained a leg injury in the process and had to be substituted for Eddie Segura.
Shortly after Long’s departure, LAFC conceded an own goal when Segura inadvertently headed Dylan Nealis’s cross into his own net, giving the Red Bulls an early lead. Despite New York’s continued pressure, they couldn’t find a second goal.
LAFC eventually started to push for an equalizer, and their efforts paid off when Bouanga was fouled in the penalty area by Sean Nealis. After a VAR review confirmed the decision, Bouanga calmly converted the penalty to level the score, securing his fourth goal of the season.
After conceding the opening goal from a corner kick, New York Red Bulls doubled their lead with roughly 10 minutes left in normal time, once again from a corner kick. This time, Emil Forsberg capitalized on a loose ball in front of goal and buried it to give New York a 2-1 lead late in the game.
However, LAFC refused to concede defeat. Sergi Palencia delivered a dangerous cross into the box, which found Denis Bouanga. The Gabon international struck the ball powerfully, and despite taking a deflection off Noah Eile, it ended up in the back of the net. Bouanga’s late goal earned LAFC a point, but for New York, it likely felt more like a defeat.
Here are the player ratings for LAFC in a 4-3-3 formation:
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris received a rating of 6/10 as he couldn’t do much to prevent the own goal scored by Segura and was let down by his defense for Forsberg’s goal. Sergi Palencia, the right-back, earned a 6/10 for his quiet performance until his influential cross led to Bouanga’s goal. Maxime Chanot and Aaron Long, the center-back pairing, both received a rating of 7/10. Chanot didn’t look out of place in his first start, while Long’s performance was cut short due to injury. Left-back Ryan Hollingshead also earned a 7/10 for his attacking presence but lacked efficiency in front of goal.
In midfield, Tim Tillman, Ilie Sanchez, and Mateusz Bogusz all received a rating of 7/10. Tillman had a stronger impact in the second half, Sanchez picked up the pace after a slow start, and Bogusz delivered an underwhelming performance. Cristian Olivera, the right-winger, earned a 6/10 for being the best forward in the first half but failing to maintain his performance level. Kei Kamara, the striker, received a rating of 6/10 for a sluggish performance that led to missed opportunities.
Denis Bouanga, the left-winger, received the highest rating of 9/10. Despite struggling to create chances early on, he converted a penalty and leveled the score with a bit of luck.
Among the substitutes, Eddie Segura, who replaced Long early in the game, received a rating of 5/10 for the own goal immediately after coming on. Nathan Ordaz, who replaced Kamara, earned a 6/10 for losing possession a few times due to poor touches. Omar Campos and Luis Muller, who came on late in the game, didn’t receive a rating (N/A) due to limited playing time.
