“We Are L.A. Strong”

(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: In one of the biggest “friendly” exhibition matches of the 2025 MLS pre-season, LAFC welcomed Club América from LA LIGA MX to visit Los Angeles and BMO Stadium for an international encounter.

BMO was nearly packed with 22,000 soccer-loving fans rooting for both teams, and Club America’s countrymen, residing in Los Angeles and Southern California seized the chance to see their favorite team from “La Patria” and, of course, the large fandom of the Black & Gold was just as pleased to see its team return to BMO Stadium for a new season.

[MATCH PREVIEW]: It was a great match-up by the promoters and team owners to hold this Exhibition match as the lead-off and the lead-up to the new MLS soccer/fútbol season here in the USA. The Black & Gold wore its new-look white “Secondary & Away” match uniform kit with a solid gold coloring on the front/back short sleeve creases, the collar, the BMO brand logo, the Adidas logo, the Ford logo, its team logo, and on the numerals. The three Adidas brand stripes on the front of the top and the leggings were also visible. And lastly, the Adidas Centennial shoe was fitted onto the mannequin shown below.

[REFEREE]: Geoff Cameron

[LAFC STARTING XI]: Goalkeeper/#1/Hugo Lloris, #4/Eddie Segura, #9/Olivier Giroud, #11/Timothy Tillman, #30/David Martínez, #99/Denis Bouanga, #6/Igor Jesus, #8/Mark Delgado, #14/Sergi Palencia, #33/Aaron Long, and #24/Ryan Hollingshead

[1st HALF]: Manager, Steve Cherundolo had a different squad to start the new season at his command. Many of the team’s highly supportive fans wondered who he might start, and the starting XI shown above is what they saw.

The match began with a good rhythm and flow for the crowd. Ever-present was the euphoria displayed by El Grupo 3252 and the many Southern California geographical territories, embedded on the Northern Side. All were ready to start their singing, chanting, and drumming for the entire match. Add on the large turnout of Club América followers who found great seating behind the goal in the southern end of BMO, and both fan bases assured a 100%  backing for their team.

The match began with both teams exhibiting high skills as they played a defensive back-and-forth match, or similar to a “cat-and-mouse” style. In this first (45:00) period, a total of (11) shots were attempted by both teams, but only (1) was a shot-on-goal by Club América. It was the feeling out process with each team hopeful of playing a stronger competitive second half after making the appropriate adjustments in the locker room.

[aigpl-gallery-slider id=”134767″][PHOTO GALLERY]: East L.A. Sports Scene Productions/Frankli Robles, Lead Photographer

[HALFTIME]: LAFC  0   Club América (Aguilas)  0

[2nd HALF]: Fans had barely returned to their seats when BMO erupted into a crowd explosion of happiness at the Thunderstrike goal by #99 Denis Bouanga. To recap, he quickly caught a Club América defender lapsing on his backward pass to his goalie. But without his clearly seeing #99 and knowing his exact whereabouts, the Black & Gold striker swept in to reach the ball before the Aguilas goalkeeper, #30/Ricardo Cota, could secure it. Bouanga then had a clear shot on goal, and he delivered it into the netting for the first goal of the match. It was at the snap of your fingers that it was LAFC 1, Club América  0. The goal was recorded at the (46:00) minute mark.

Then, at the (56:00) minute mark, the LAFC crowd rewarded its team with thunderous applause when the Black & Gold turned back the Aguilas barrage of “shots-on-goal,” saving the shut-out up to that point. In that flurry, Goalkeeper Lloris was greatly assisted by #14 Sergi Palencia, who prevented one of the opponent’s well-placed shots denying the equalizer goal from happening.

LAFC and Bouanga marched down the field in a rapid-fire possession when Bouanga found #27/Nathan Ordaz for a clear shot-on-goal, and he drove it through on the ground for the Black & Gold’s second goal. It came at the 60th minute. #9/Giroud participated in the goal by acting as the decoy on the grounded pass to Ordaz. 

Then it was Club América’s turn to mount a successful attack when the ball couldn’t be cleared by LAFC far enough away from its own goal, and after a couple of passes from the Club América’s attacking forwards, they found their midfielder, #20/Richard Sánchez, alone at the center of the pitch. He then blasted a Nike missile shot past the outstretched right side of goalie Lloris, putting his team on the BMO scoreboard for a new score of (2-1), in favor of LAFC. The Aguilas fans then erupted with their version of leaping high and shouting for joy at the same time, when their first goal finally came at minute (63:00).

At the 75th minute, both teams began sending in their substitutions. It was, at this particular time in the contest, best described as a windshield-wiper style of game. And, with the tempers on both sides starting to flare just a bit, Referee Cameron began issuing several “Yellow Cards” to calm and tone things down, as the match headed into the home stretch phase. Fortunately, the teams battled hard to the very end without any significant physical incidents. Clearly, the LAFC defense stepped up and answered the call to preserve the narrow victory.

[FULL-TIME SCORE: LAFC  2  Club América  1

[OF SIGNIFICANCE]: It was a very well-played match by both teams for the start of the 2025 Exhibition season, and the fans were totally involved for the entire match. Easy to say that everyone got their money’s worth in seeing two solid franchises compete in this very early “friendly” international encounter. It could have ended in a draw but for the great individual and instinctive play made by the Black & Gold’s MVP, #99/Denis Bouanga.