Los Angeles FC's Maxime Chanot, left, vies for the ball against Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White, right, during the first half of a first-round MLS Cup playoffs soccer match, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)
LOS ANGELES – The Vancouver Whitecaps saw their season end with a 1-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC in the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs Friday.
The result gave LAFC a 2-1 edge over the ‘Caps in the best-of-three series.
Mateusz Bogusz played hero for Los Angeles, picking off a Vancouver ball in the 62nd minute and scoring the game’s lone goal off a breakaway.
Vancouver ‘keeper Yohei Takaoka made one save and LAFC’s Hugo Lloris stopped two on-target shots.
The ‘Caps finished the regular season in eighth place and trounced the Portland Timbers 5-0 in a wild-card game to earn a spot against top-seeded LAFC in the first round.
LAFC will host the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference semifinals on Nov. 23 or 24. Los Angeles has played in the last two MLS Cup finals.
The two sides were locked in a defensive stalemate for much of the first half.
Vancouver’s back line proved to be an aggressive force, picking balls off the feet of LAFC’s stars and limiting shots.
Los Angeles sniper Denis Bouagna had an opportunity in the seventh minute of the game, but sent his shot wide of the post.
Brian White tested Lloris in the 27th minute with a left-footed blast from the top of the penalty area. The French ‘keeper dived and punched the ball away.
L.A.’s Sergi Palencia launched a ball inside the penalty area in the 40th minute, only to send it into the legs of Vancouver’s Sebastian Berhalter.
White came tantalizingly close to putting the visitors on the board in the 43rd minute after collecting a ball in behind L.A.’s back line. The American striker chipped a shot over a diving Lloris and the ball sailed just wide of the post.
Vancouver controlled 59.4 per cent of possession across the first half and outshot the home side 8-4, including the lone on-target shot.
L.A. came into the second half with renewed aggression, pressing hard for a goal.
Olivier Giroud sliced a pass to Bouagna inside the penalty area in the 54th minute and Bouagna fired a shot off, skimming the ball over the crossbar.
LAFC finally capitalized in the 62nd minute when ‘Caps defender Andres Cubas didn’t get enough on a midfield header.
The ball fell to Bougsz’s feet and the Polish midfielder took off, going one-on-one with Takaoka. His left-footed shot sailed past the ‘keeper’s outstretched hands to give L.A. a 1-0 lead.
Bougsz ran to the corner and saluted the crowd before being mobbed by his teammates.
Vancouver briefly appeared to level the score in the 74th minute off a free kick. Tristan Blackmon ticked the ball in past Lloris, but the offside flag quickly went up, waving off the goal.
Friday’s loss wraps a campaign that saw the Whitecaps finish with a 13-13-8 regular-season record. The club also won a third straight Canadian Championship title.
Vancouver has not made the Western Conference semifinals since 2017, when the ‘Caps were eliminated by the Sounders.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
