Son struck early and Bouanga delivered a hat trick before 50,000 fans at Levi’s Stadium.
San Jose controlled possession but defensive lapses kept their Wild Card hopes shaky.
A record-setting night at Levi’s Stadium brought the drama, but it was LAFC who silenced the San Jose Earthquakes’ playoff push with a 4-2 victory on Saturday. A crowd of more than 50,000 packed the stadium, drawn by the presence of global star Heung-Min Son, and they were treated to a fast-paced, high-intensity rivalry clash.
The match opened up in the first minutes of the match as Son needed less than 2 minutes to put LAFC ahead, converting a cross from Artem Smolyakov for a stunning opener. Within ten minutes, Denis Bouanga doubled the lead with a clinical finish on the break, then struck again in the 12th minute, making it 3-0 before San Jose had a chance to settle. The Quakes’ backline looked rattled, though Ian Harkes found Preston Judd for an 18th-minute goal that pulled the hosts back into the contest at 3-1.
Despite the early deficit, San Jose dominated possession the rest of the first half, controlling over 62% of the ball and firing nine shot attempts to LAFC’s four. They earned a flurry of corners and tested Hugo Lloris, but couldn’t break through again before the break. Son was quiet after his opener, tightly marked and often fouled, while Bouanga remained the constant danger.
San Jose pressed hard after halftime, winning set pieces and pouring players forward. Cristian Espinoza and substitutes Ousseni Bouda and Benji Kikanovic injected energy, but a mix of poor finishing and Lloris’s sharp goalkeeping kept the Quakes out of the net. Daniel de Sousa Britto, meanwhile, kept San Jose alive with several highlight saves, including back-to-back stops in the 74th and another sprawling denial in the 79th minute. Both attempts were made by Bouanga who remained a constant threat all game.
As the Quakes threw numbers forward late, LAFC struck again. In the 87th minute, Palencia sliced open the defense with a perfectly weighted pass, and Bouanga coolly slotted home into an open net to complete his hat trick. San Jose answered in the 89th with Bouda pouncing on a deflected ball for a scrappy finish, but it was too late.
Final stats told a story of frustration for San Jose: 62% possession, 18 total shot attempts, and 11 corner kicks, yet only two goals to show for it. LAFC, clinical as ever, managed four goals on limited opportunities with only 8 total shots, and 2 corners. The ball was retained in LAFC’s half most of the game. Bouanga’s hat trick lifted him to 18 goals this season — tying Carlos Vela’s club record — while Son added his 2nd MLS goal in style.
After the match, Bouanga discussed how easy it was to play with Son: “It’s too easy on the pitch to play with Sonny. You see, he’s an amazing player, and off the field he is a good person.”
The 4-2 result keeps San Jose clinging to a wild card position but underscores their defensive struggles, as they remain without a clean sheet in 15 matches. LAFC, meanwhile, continues to climb, with Bouanga and Son forming one of the league’s most lethal duos.
The match opened up in the first minutes of the match as Son needed less than 2 minutes to put LAFC ahead, converting a cross from Artem Smolyakov for a stunning opener. Within ten minutes, Denis Bouanga doubled the lead with a clinical finish on the break, then struck again in the 12th minute, making it 3-0 before San Jose had a chance to settle. The Quakes’ backline looked rattled, though Ian Harkes found Preston Judd for an 18th-minute goal that pulled the hosts back into the contest at 3-1.
Despite the early deficit, San Jose dominated possession the rest of the first half, controlling over 62% of the ball and firing nine shot attempts to LAFC’s four. They earned a flurry of corners and tested Hugo Lloris, but couldn’t break through again before the break. Son was quiet after his opener, tightly marked and often fouled, while Bouanga remained the constant danger.
San Jose pressed hard after halftime, winning set pieces and pouring players forward. Cristian Espinoza and substitutes Ousseni Bouda and Benji Kikanovic injected energy, but a mix of poor finishing and Lloris’s sharp goalkeeping kept the Quakes out of the net. Daniel de Sousa Britto, meanwhile, kept San Jose alive with several highlight saves, including back-to-back stops in the 74th and another sprawling denial in the 79th minute. Both attempts were made by Bouanga who remained a constant threat all game.
As the Quakes threw numbers forward late, LAFC struck again. In the 87th minute, Palencia sliced open the defense with a perfectly weighted pass, and Bouanga coolly slotted home into an open net to complete his hat trick. San Jose answered in the 89th with Bouda pouncing on a deflected ball for a scrappy finish, but it was too late.
Final stats told a story of frustration for San Jose: 62% possession, 18 total shot attempts, and 11 corner kicks, yet only two goals to show for it. LAFC, clinical as ever, managed four goals on limited opportunities with only 8 total shots, and 2 corners. The ball was retained in LAFC’s half most of the game. Bouanga’s hat trick lifted him to 18 goals this season — tying Carlos Vela’s club record — while Son added his 2nd MLS goal in style.
After the match, Bouanga discussed how easy it was to play with Son: “It’s too easy on the pitch to play with Sonny. You see, he’s an amazing player, and off the field he is a good person.”
The 4-2 result keeps San Jose clinging to a wild card position but underscores their defensive struggles, as they remain without a clean sheet in 15 matches. LAFC, meanwhile, continues to climb, with Bouanga and Son forming one of the league’s most lethal duos.
Chongwoo Chang / chongwoo.chang@baynewslab.com
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