The Return of a Fan Favorite
LAFC would welcome to BMO a familiar face as they hosted the New England Revolution over the weekend. Latif Blessing would return to Los Angeles, as he received his 2022 MLS Championship Ring. Latif holds the record for most games played for the Black and Gold at 159 games! He rapidly became a fan favorite due to his tremendous work ethic and his bright personality. He was an LAFC original and closed out his time with LAFC with a Cup win. However, as time went on and LAFC brought players he slowly began to lose his protagonist role with the club. Yet he never made a fuss or complained about the lack of playing time. His return to Los Angeles was bittersweet, as LAFC would go on to win 4-0 and he made a brutal mistake that cost a goal.
LAFC Continues Being a Dominant Force
After ending their first game really shaky LAFC reverted to its old ways as they dominated the Revs 4-0. Once again Denis Bouanga made his presence felt as he nabbed a brace. Scoring now his fifth goal in the past two games. He scored a hat-trick against Alajuelense in the Concacaf Champions League and followed it with a brace against the Revolution. What made the win remarkable against the Revolution was once again the different goal scorers. As, you also had Timothy Tillman and Stipe Biuk open up their accounts with the Black and Gold. Which is impressive considering their top goal scorer left before the season began. So seeing that the goals are being spread out through the attackers is a wonderful sign. With this win LAFC moves into second place in the Western Conference with 6 points. They trail newly joined expansion side St Louis SC as they have 9 points but with 3 games played. (LAFC have played 2 due to the cancellation of their season opener.) LAFC continues to show why they are a powerhouse and why they can be the favorites to repeat or win CCL.
What’s Next For LAFC
The Black and Gold will now face off against Alajuelense in CCL play. With a comfortable 3-0 lead expect many changes to the starting eleven. If LAFC advance they will face off against the winners of Vancouver vs Real España. The Black and Gold will travel up to the Pacific Northwest this weekend to take on the Seattle Sounders. Which is definitely a must watch game! As both teams are tied with six points and are playing solid football. Throughout the past years this matchup has become a sort of rivalry. As Seattle was the first club LAFC defeated in their debut! LAFC will look to continue their unbeaten streak and continue to show why they are still the team to beat in the West!
