Another Game, Another Shutout by LAFC in Win Over Columbus
LAFC’s Defensive Philosophy
When defender Christie Pearce was roaming the backline for the women’s national soccer team, she lived by a simple adage. “If we score, we might win,” she said. “If they never score, we can’t lose.” For the most part, that worked, with the U.S. losing just 20 times in the 311 games Pearce played in, more than half of them ending in clean sheets. LAFC appears to have adopted a similar philosophy, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris not conceding a goal in four of the five matches the team has played this season. LAFC has won all four of those games.
The Latest Win
The latest win came Tuesday, with Denis Bouanga scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over the Columbus Crew in the first leg of a round of 16 CONCACAF Champions Cup playoff at BMO Stadium. The second and deciding leg will be played March 11 in Columbus with the winner advancing on aggregate goals.
Historical Context
Tuesday’s victory was LAFC’s first in four games with Columbus since Wilfried Nancy took over the Crew three years ago. Two of those losses came in finals, the 2023 MLS Cup final and last summer’s Leagues Cup final.
A Shift in Philosophy
Although LAFC has primarily won with offense, producing three MLS scoring champions in its first six seasons, coach Steve Cherundolo has asked his club to play defense first this season. And it’s worked. Not only is LAFC giving up few goals, it’s giving up few shots, with Lloris needing to make just six saves combined in his four shutout wins.
The Performance of Hugo Lloris
Columbus put just one shot on goal Tuesday, with the clean sheet giving Lloris 17 in all competition since coming to LAFC last season. It also ran his scoreless streak to 370 minutes. Lloris tied the MLS record with a five-game scoreless streak last season.
The Goalscoring Drought
If LAFC has conceded few goals, it has also scored few of its own, with its first three wins all coming by 1-0 scorelines, matching the number of 1-0 wins from all of last season. Bouanga gave LAFC the lone goal it would need in the 20th minute, taking the ball off the foot of indecisive defender Andres Herrera deep in the Columbus end, then beating Crew keeper Patrick Schulte 1-on-1 from the center of the box for his first goal of the year.
Conclusion
LAFC’s defensive strategy has paid off, with the team winning four straight games and conceding just one shot on goal in the process. If LAFC holds on to its lead, it would likely face Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the two-leg tournament quarterfinals next month.
FAQs
* What is LAFC’s defensive strategy this season?
LAFC has adopted a defensive-first approach, with coach Steve Cherundolo asking his team to prioritize defending and conceding few goals.
* How many shots has LAFC given up in its four shutout wins?
LAFC has given up just six shots combined in its four shutout wins.
* Who scored for LAFC in the 3-0 win over Columbus?
Denis Bouanga scored twice for LAFC, with Nathan Ordaz adding a third goal in the 81st minute.
