LOS ANGELES – The San Jose Earthquakes fell to Los Angeles Football Club 4-1 on Tuesday night in front of 14,911 fans at BMO Stadium in the Leagues Cup 2024 Round of 16.
The hosts got on the board first in the 17th minute when Ryan Hollingshead won an aerial duel near midfield and pushed the ball ahead to Cristian Olivera, who converted a one-on-one opportunity past goalkeeper William Yarbrough. In the 25th minute, the Quakes almost equalized when forward Jeremy Ebobisse lofted a ball from the right wing into the box for an in-stride Amahl Pellegrino, but the ensuing shot on frame was parried away at the last moment by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The answer would come the 41st minute, a Benji Kikanović floating cross from the right wing was deflected right to a sliding Hernán López, who poked it past Lloris to make it 1-1. However, in the second minute of stoppage time, LAFC midfielder Eduard Atuesta broke free in the box and drew a penalty from a diving Yarbrough. Denis Bouanga converted the subsequent penalty kick to give LAFC the lead once more heading into halftime.
After intermission, the Quakes remained dangerous. In the 57th minute, Cristian Espinoza found a streaking Jackson Yueill to his right in the box, and while the captain’s one-timer for the far post beat Lloris, it was just wide. But LAFC would score again in the 61st minute when Mateusz Bogusz unleashed a shot from a deep, deceiving angle that bounced off Yarbrough’s gloves into the net. Down 3-1 now, San Jose pushed forward but were beaten by a counterattack when Olivera lifted a long ball for Bouanga who extended the advantage to close the scoring.
San Jose’s brilliant Leagues Cup run concludes just one stop shy of the Quarterfinals. The Quakes will now return to MLS regular-season play on Saturday, Aug. 24, when they go on the road to face Real Salt Lake. Kickoff from America First Field in Sandy, Utah, is set for 6:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as on local radio AM 810 The Spread (English) and AM 1370 La Kaliente (Spanish).
GAME NOTES
San Jose moves to 7-10-1 vs. LAFC (29 GF, 49 GA) with an away record of 1-9-1 (12 GF, 34 GA) across all competitions. Tonight marked their first meeting in Leagues Cup. Outside of MLS play, they have faced off once in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a 3-1 LAFC home victory in 2019, also in the Round of 16.
Both teams won their respective home games against each other in the 2024 MLS regular season before tonight’s rubber match. The Quakes won their first meeting on May 4 at Levi’s Stadium 3-1, but LAFC took the June 22 rematch at BMO Stadium, 6-2.
San Jose finished their time at Leagues Cup fourth out of all 47 clubs in three team categories as of the time of the club’s exit: total goals (8), assists (6) and yellow cards (10).
Earthquakes midfielder Hernán López scored his second goal in Leagues Cup and made his third goal contribution in four games of tournament play (2g/1a).
The Quakes ended their Leagues Cup run just three wins away from a Concacaf Champions Cup berth, as both Leagues Cup finalists and the winner of the Third-Place Game earn the trio of qualification slots. The last time San Jose came that close was the 2020 MLS Is Back tournament, when they made it to the quarterfinals but fell to Minnesota United FC, 4-1.
Los Angeles FC 4 – 1 San Jose Earthquakes
Tuesday, August 13, 2024 – BMO Stadium; Los Angeles
Weather: 75° Sunny
Attendance: 14,911
Match Officials:
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
AR1: Stefan Tanaka-Freundt
AR2: Jeremy Kieso
4th: Lukasz Szpala
VAR: Daneon Parchment
AVAR: Melissa Borjas Pastrana
Scoring Summary:
LAFC (1-0) – Cristian Olivera (Ryan Hollingshead) 17’
SJ (1-1) – Hernán López (unassisted) 41’
LAFC (2-1) – Denis Bouanga (penalty kick) 45+5’
LAFC (3-1) – Mateusz Bogusz (Ilie Sánchez) 61’
LAFC (4-1) – Denis Bouanga (Cristian Olivera) 66’
Misconduct Summary:
SJ – William Yarbrough (caution) 45+2’
LOS ANGELES FC: Hugo Lloris; Jesús Murillo, Maxime Chanot, Aaron Long; Sergi Palencia (Omar Campos 75’), Ilie Sánchez (C) (Erik Dueñas 88’), Eduard Atuesta, Ryan Hollingshead; Cristian Olivera (Olivier Giroud 71’), Mateusz Bogusz (Eddie Segura 75’), Denis Bouanga (David Martínez 88’).
Substitutes not used: Thomas Hasal (GK), Abraham Romero (GK), Kei Kamara, Tommy Musto, Nathan Ordaz.
POSS.: 48.8%; SHOTS: 15; SOG: 6; CORNERS: 3; OFFSIDES: 1; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 10; xG: 2.3
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: William Yarbrough; Vítor Costa, Rodrigues, Daniel Munie, Benji Kikanović; Carlos Gruezo (Alfredo Morales 83’), Jackson Yueill (C) (Niko Tsakiris 69’), Hernán López (Jack Skahan 83’); Amahl Pellegrino (Paul Marie 46’), Cristian Espinoza, Jeremy Ebobisse (Preston Judd 83’).
Substitutes not used: Jacob Jackson (GK), Emi Ochoa (GK), Michael Baldisimo, Tanner Beason, Ousseni Bouda, Tommy Thompson, Oscar Verhoeven.
POSS.: 51.2%; SHOTS: 7; SOG: 3; CORNERS: 0; OFFSIDES: 0; SAVES: 2; FOULS: 12; xG: 0.7
EARTHQUAKES INTERIM HEAD COACH IAN RUSSELL
On the team’s Leagues Cup run to the Round of 16:
“We’re happy with what we did. Obviously, the Chivas game, beating them, then getting scored on last minute against Galaxy, and then against Necaxa we had a really good game where we won 5-0. So the team is confident. Again, this game is a little frustrating, because we definitely had some chances, but mistakes hurt us in this one. We hope the momentum carries to the last 10 games or so this season.”
On overall impressions of the match:
“I thought we played well. I thought we earned that goal to tie it up before halftime, and unfortunately, gave up that goal right before half. That hurts, especially against a team like this that's so dangerous. We started the half off very well. We had a lot of possession. We were playing in there, and then we had a mistake for the third goal. And actually, we had a big chance with Jackson Yueill right before that happened. But again, you just can't make mistakes against a team like LAFC.”
On young defenders Benji Kikanović and Daniel Munie:
“First with Benji, he is a winger, a converted wing back, and he's done really well at right back. [Carlos] Akapo has been out. He's been out for a while, but I think Benji's done very well. He's going to have his growing pains. And then Daniel Munie, again, same scenario with him. Very, very athletic center back. He wasn't his best night tonight. First goal, I think he could have done better. But overall, Daniel has been really, really good for us. And he's going to compete for that starting job when Bruno [Wilson] is back and with Tanner Beason and Rodrigues.”
On using this Leagues Cup experience to fuel the rest of the MLS season:
“The team is confident. Tonight wasn't our night, but it's these last 10 games that are important. The playoffs are going to be very difficult; they know that. But again, they're professional players; they need to be playing for their jobs as well. We'll be evaluating players and how they take these next games. And I think in general, though, the group's feeling pretty good about themselves.”
