With the regular season winding down and playoff implications on the line, Los Angeles FC delivered yet another dramatic moment at BMO Stadium on Sunday night, edging Atlanta United 1-0 in a tense contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. The hero? Denis Bouanga, who once again rose to the occasion in the 86th minute, volleying home the winner and tying none other than Lionel Messi for the MLS Golden Boot lead with his 24th goal of the season.
Talk about a sense of occasion—this was no ordinary night for Bouanga. The Gabonese striker made his 100th appearance for LAFC, and fittingly, his late strike marked his 99th goal for the club. As the BMO Stadium crowd of 22,067 roared with relief and jubilation, LAFC cemented their fifth straight victory, improving to 16-8-7 on the year and climbing to 56 points. They now sit just two points behind third-place Minnesota and trail Western Conference leaders San Diego and Vancouver by four, with games in hand against all three. The Black and Gold are making a serious late-season push, and the rest of the conference is on notice.
"It was a good test for us," reflected defender Ryan Hollingshead after the match, referencing Atlanta’s unexpectedly defensive setup. "What we prepared in video was not the way that they showed up. They haven't defended like that all season, they haven't played that hard all season." Indeed, Atlanta United, sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 5-15-12 and just 27 points, came into the match desperate to salvage pride in a disappointing campaign. They set up with a low block, frustrating LAFC for long stretches and relying on 21-year-old rookie goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert, who turned in a valiant performance with three crucial saves.
Hibbert was called into action early and often. In the 13th minute, Bouanga fired just wide from outside the box, and four minutes later, Son Heung-Min—LAFC’s dynamic South Korean forward—had his shot blocked by Ronald Hernandez. The pressure kept mounting. By the 21st minute, both Bouanga and Son forced Hibbert into back-to-back saves, keeping the scoreline level. LAFC peppered the Atlanta goal with nine shots in the first half alone, but the match went into halftime deadlocked at 0-0, thanks in large part to Hibbert’s heroics and Atlanta’s resolute defending.
Atlanta, meanwhile, struggled to generate any meaningful attack. Their first shot attempt didn’t come until the 43rd minute, when Miguel Almiron’s effort was blocked by Nkosi Tafari. The visitors managed just three shots all game, with only one finding the target. Their best chance came in the 70th minute, when Bartosz Slisz’s deflected shot rattled off the right post, nearly silencing the home crowd. But luck was not on Atlanta’s side, and their offensive woes continued—they’ve now been shut out 12 times this season.
On the LAFC end, Hugo Lloris had a relatively quiet night, needing to make just one save to register his second consecutive clean sheet. That’s a significant turnaround for LAFC, who had gone five straight matches without one earlier in the season. The defensive unit, marshaled by Lloris and featuring the likes of Ryan Porteous, Sergi Palencia, and Eddie Segura, held firm throughout, limiting Atlanta’s opportunities and keeping the visitors at bay.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 86th minute. Marco Delgado lofted a ball into the Atlanta box, where defender Enea Mihaj got his head to it—but only as far as Bouanga. With ice-cold composure, Bouanga volleyed home, sending the crowd into a frenzy and etching his name alongside Messi atop the league’s scoring charts. The goal was the difference on a night where chances were at a premium, and it underscored Bouanga’s reputation as a clutch performer for LAFC.
"It's all scoreboard watching, you know exactly what you need to do," Hollingshead admitted, speaking to the pressure and excitement of the playoff race. "We know that if we take care of our business, we can start jumping teams and climbing that ladder. You're watching for sure." With home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs now secured, LAFC’s focus is on maximizing their position and ensuring as many postseason matches as possible take place in front of their passionate supporters, the 3252.
The win also extended LAFC’s unbeaten run against Atlanta United to four years, with a 3-2-2 all-time record in the matchup. It’s been a low-scoring rivalry; neither side has scored more than once in a match since July 2019. LAFC’s ability to grind out results in tight games has become a hallmark of their late-season surge.
However, the next stretch presents new challenges. Bouanga, Son Heung-Min, Nathan Ordaz, and Mathieu Choinière will all depart for international duty, representing Gabon, South Korea, El Salvador, and Canada respectively in World Cup qualifiers. That leaves LAFC shorthanded for a pair of crucial matches, testing the squad’s depth and resilience. "It's two tough games now," said head coach Steve Cherundolo. "Missing four players to the international window...that hurts us. But, we have plenty of players who can fill the void and show that they can help this team as well."
Looking ahead, LAFC will host Toronto FC on Wednesday, October 8, in their final home match of the regular season. Toronto, languishing in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 5-14-13 record and on an eight-game draw streak, presents an opportunity for LAFC to keep momentum rolling—though nothing is guaranteed in MLS, especially with key players away. Atlanta United, meanwhile, will travel to face Inter Miami on Saturday, hoping to end their road campaign on a positive note, but with little left to play for but pride.
As the playoff picture comes into sharper focus, LAFC’s victory over Atlanta United sends a clear message: this is a team peaking at the right time, with stars stepping up in big moments and a roster deep enough to weather adversity. With Bouanga matching Messi stride for stride in the Golden Boot race and the Black and Gold surging up the table, the final weeks of the season promise plenty of drama—and LAFC fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
