LAFC will take a one-goal advantage into the second leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup aggregate-goal, Quarterfinal series against Inter Miami thanks to a 1-0 win at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night. Nathan Ordaz scored the game’s only goal, while Hugo Lloris kept his third consecutive home clean sheet in Champions Cup play to lead the Black & Gold to the victory.
The second leg will be played in South Florida on Wednesday, April 9 (5 p.m. PT; FS1, TUDN, and 710 AM ESPN LA) with a trip to the tournament Semifinals on the line.
Following a scoreless first half in front of a capacity crowd at BMO Stadium, LAFC went in front just before the hour mark thanks to a goal from Ordaz. The LAFC Academy product collected a pass from Mark Delgado and coolly spun past Miami's Sergio Busquets in the center of the park before hitting a low, right-footed shot past the dive of Herons goalkeeper Oscar Ustari to give LAFC a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute.
The goal was all that the home side needed as the Black & Gold defense limited Inter Miami to just 10 shots on the evening, handing the visitors their first loss in all competitions this year.
Prior to the second leg game in Florida next week, LAFC resumes MLS action when the club travels to Texas to tackle the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, April 5. That game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. PT and is available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, 710 AM ESPN and 980 AM La Mera Mera.
NOTES
- With the win, LAFC is now a perfect 3-0-0 at home in the Champions Cup this year, having previously beaten the Colorado Rapids (1-0) and Columbus Crew (3-0) at BMO Stadium.
- LAFC is 6-5-0 in all competitions this year, including a 5-1-0 record at home. All five of those wins have seen the club shut out its opponent.
- Tonight’s win was LAFC’s 10th all time in Concacaf play. The club is 10-7-1 all-time in the competition, including 6-2-0 at home. In those eight home games, LAFC has outscored opponents 15-3 while keeping six clean sheets.
- Against MLS opponents, LAFC is 6-2-1 in Concacaf play, eliminating Vancouver and Philadelphia in 2023 as well as Colorado and Columbus this year.
- Nathan Ordaz scored the game’s only goal. It was his second goal in the Champions Cup this year, leaving him second on the team in the competition behind Denis Bouanga who has three.
- Ordaz is the fifth different LAFC player to score more than one goal in Concacaf competition, joining Bouanga (10), Carlos Vela (8), Mahala Opoku (3) and Diego Rossi (2).
- Mark Delgado was credited with an assist on Ordaz’s goal for his first Champions Cup assist of the season. He is now one of six LAFC players with an assist in Concacaf play this year.
- Hugo Lloris finished the game with three saves for his third shutout in the Champions Cup this year.
- Bouanga and Timothy Tillman each played in his 13th Champions Cup game for LAFC, moving them into a tie with Diego Palacios and Carlos Vela for the most in club history.
- Odin Holm came off the bench in the second half to make his Champions Cup debut for LAFC.
- After missing the last four games with a leg injury, Marlon returned to action for LAFC, entering the game late in place of Nathan Ordaz. He had appeared in five of LAFC’s first six games of the year prior to his injury, starting three times.
- LAFC is now 3-1-0 in all competitions against Inter Miami with all three wins coming via shutout.
