LAFC Stuns Club América, Secures Club World Cup Berth
Written by Patrick Echatah
LAFC defeated Mexican giant Club América 2-1 on Saturday night at BMO Stadium to earn the last spot in the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup.
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Igor Jesus and Denis Bouanga scored for LAFC, with Bouanga netting the winning goal in the 115th minute.
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His deflected shot past goalkeeper Luis Malagón secured the victory and prevented a penalty shootout in the playoff match between the two North American powerhouses.
LAFC, popularly known as “The Black & Gold,” forced extra time in the 89th minute when midfielder Jesus scored off a corner kick from Bouanga. This goal canceled out Club América’s earlier 64th-minute lead, which came from a penalty kick by former LAFC winger Brian Rodríguez against Hugo Lloris.
With this victory, LAFC qualifies for the Club World Cup this summer, joining Inter Miami CF and Seattle Sounders FC as the MLS representatives. Each team will receive $9.55 million for participating in the tournament, held in the United States from June 14 to July 13, with additional prize money available based on performance.
Originally, Club León from Mexico’s Liga MX was set to participate in the Club World Cup. However, they were disqualified because of FIFA’s rules against multi-club ownership.
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This means that a single entity or individual owns more than one club, which FIFA prohibits in certain competitions to maintain fair play and competitive balance. As a result of León’s disqualification, a special match was arranged between LAFC and Club América.
This game was a standalone event, not part of a regular league or tournament schedule, essentially filling the void left by León’s unexpected exit from the Club World Cup.
LAFC have achieved significant success since joining the league in 2018, securing four titles and consistently contending for more. This recent win marks one of their most significant accomplishments yet: it earned them a late entry into the newly expanded 32-team Club World Cup.
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