Los Angeles FC's participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has been a story of persistence amidst adversity. After being eliminated from contention, the team finally found the back of the net in their final match, marking a bittersweet moment in their tournament run.
LAFC's journey began with a challenging debut against Chelsea, where they fell 2-0 to the English Premier League powerhouse. Despite a strong defensive effort in the first half, Chelsea's Pedro Neto broke the deadlock, followed by an Enzo Fernández goal in the second half to seal the victory. The Black & Gold showed promise with several attacking chances, but couldn't find the breakthrough.
Their second match against ES Tunis also ended in a 1-0 defeat. Despite a stellar performance from goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who made four saves, Youcef Belaïli scored the decisive goal for the African side. LAFC had opportunities, with two first-half goals disallowed for offside and a late penalty from Denis Bouanga being saved.
The final group stage match against Flamengo brought a glimmer of hope. In a tightly contested game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Denis Bouanga finally scored LAFC's first-ever goal in the Club World Cup in the 84th minute. However, their lead was short-lived, as Wallace Yan equalized for Flamengo just two minutes later, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Marlon had earlier had a goal disallowed for offside, and Mark Delgado hit the post. LAFC were also indebted to their goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, who made a stunning save to deny Everton.
Despite the draw, LAFC finished their Club World Cup campaign without a win, having suffered two losses and one draw. The single point earned was not enough to see them progress in the tournament. Flamengo, meanwhile, topped Group D and secured a spot in the knockout rounds, where they will face Bayern Munich.
"Overall, we're quite happy. Of course it stings right now but... our players will realize they can be proud of this performance," LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said, acknowledging the team's effort and growth throughout the tournament. Flamengo coach Filipe Luís stated, "We had a great group stage. We achieved our objective in an early manner. Now we're thinking about Bayern and nothing but Bayern," highlighting their focus on the next challenge.
LAFC's Club World Cup journey may have ended earlier than they hoped, but Bouanga's goal will be remembered as a significant moment for the club. It represented their determination to compete against top international teams and provided a foundation for future success on the global stage. The team can now turn their attention back to the MLS season, with valuable experience gained from their time at the Club World Cup.
