LAFC snapped a two-game losing streak in MLS play with a 2-1 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night at BMO Stadium. Sergi Palencia scored the first goal of his LAFC career, while Denis Bouanga scored his first league goal of 2025 to lead the Black & Gold to victory.
With the win, LAFC is now 4W-L4-0D on the season for 12 points, good for sixth place in the Western Conference.
Following a tight first half in which each team had chances to break the deadlock, LAFC was able to claw in front in the 65th minute thanks to Palencia. Bouanga’s powerful shot from the left was parried by San Jose goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr., but the rebound fell to Palencia at the top of the box and the Spanish defender’s right-footed shot flew into the net, giving LAFC a 1-0 advantage. It was Plencia's first professional first-division goal of his career.
LAFC doubled its lead in the 86th minute when Timothy Tillman intercepted a San Jose clearance and quickly played in Olivier Giroud, who saw his long distance shot saved by the diving Edwards. However, Bouanga reacted to the rebound and tapped it into the open net from a tight angle, making the score 2-0.
The Earthquakes pulled a goal back midway through second-half stoppage time when Cristian Espinoza's deflected left-footed shot from the center of the box hit the back of the net to make the score 2-1. But that would be as close as the visitors would get as LAFC would hold on for the win and three points.
LAFC will be back in action on Saturday, April 19, when the club travels north to take on the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. That game kicks off at 7:15 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 4-4-0 for 12 points on the season, including a 3-1-0 record at home in the league.
- LAFC is now 7-7-0 in all competitions, having gone 3-3-0 in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
- At BMO Stadium, LAFC is 6-1-0 this season and this is the first of those wins not to come via a shutout.
- Tonight’s win improves LAFC’s home record against San Jose to 10-1-1 in all competitions. All-time, LAFC is 12-7-1 against the Earthquakes.
- Ryan Hollingshead played his 100th regular-season game for the club, becoming the ninth player in club history to achieve that feat.
- Sergi Palencia’s goal was his first-ever for LAFC and his first as a professional in the first division.
- Denis Bouanga’s goal was his fourth of the year but first in MLS. This broke a six-game scoreless drought, which was the longest of his MLS career.
- Bouanga’s goal was the eventual game-winner for LAFC. He now has 17 game-winning goals in 77 regular-season appearances for LAFC. Only Carlos Vela, with 19, has more game-winners than Bouanga.
- He now has five goals in seven regular-season games against the Earthquakes.
- LAFC is now 7-1-0 in all competitions when scoring first, compared to 0-6-0 when conceding the game’s opening goal.
- Maxime Chanot made his 2025 debut for LAFC in central defense. He missed the first 13 games in all competitions because of injury, though he had been on the bench for the previous three league matches.
- Adrian Wibowo entered the game late in the second half to make his home debut for LAFC.
