LAFC rallies to secure a point before falling to Vancouver on PKs in Leagues Cup match

LOS ANGELES — A frantic finish on Tuesday night salvaged the result the Los Angeles Football Club needed to advance to the knockout stage of the Leagues Cup.

LAFC fell short of earning a second point to secure its place atop the group, however, ultimately losing to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a penalty kick shootout (4-2) to close its two-match group stage experience with four points.

But playing in front of an announced crowd of 18,351 at BMO Stadium, LAFC still walked away with its most dramatic comeback of the year, a 2-2 finish to move beyond step one of the month-long MLS-Liga MX tournament.

Goals from Kei Kamara in the 88th minute and Mateusz Bogusz in the 95th dug LAFC out of a hole that seemed insurmountable until it wasn’t.

“I really do think it’s part of this club’s DNA and it’s very important to never accept a loss and keep going until it’s imminent or over,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I love that about this team. We see the same stuff in training. If we don’t call the guys back, they will scratch and push and poke each other until somebody wins. They love winning. It’s very important not to lose. It’s important to create a winning culture.”

In the spring, when Vancouver fell to LAFC, 3-0, at BMO Stadium in a MLS regular-season contest, the Whitecaps attempted to play with the ball and dictate the game.

This time the Whitecaps willingly conceded possession, focusing instead on denying space to LAFC’s wingers and holding down the Black & Gold’s potent transition by sitting in a lower block as their best player, attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld, did not suit up due to an injured knee.

LAFC wouldn’t get a clean look on goal until Cristian Olivera’s shot in the 25th minute. Mateusz Bogusz clanked an attempt off the post in the 33rd. But by that point, LAFC was well aware of what it had to do.

“We know that there’s nothing that can defeat us when we put our heads down and work, work, work no matter what the minute of the game is,” starting center back Jesus Murillo said. “I think we were rewarded with a draw.”

Vancouver got going early when Sebastian Berhalter figured “why not” and hit a half-volley from 35 yards that put the visitors on the board in the fifth minute.

After failing to to clear the ball off a Vancouver corner kick, LAFC goalkeeper Abraham Romero got caught by surprise and reacted late as Berhalter’s curling shot veered away from him.

In the 17th minute, Vancouver defender Ranko Veselinovic exploited LAFC on another corner kick. Deking fullback Ryan Hollingshead near the 6-yard box, Veselinovic redirected the ball beyond a stationary Romero, who made two saves in his third start of the year as Hugo Lloris rested on the bench.

“It is disappointing,” Berhalter said. “You’re up 2-0 in the end there, you want to close out the game. Credit to them. They’re a good team. It’s one we have to learn from. Finishing our chances but also staying more compact defensively and solving these times when they’re throwing all the numbers.”

Kamara entered to begin the second half, replacing young Nathan Ordaz at the No. 9 spot as LAFC added firepower off the bench and chased the game.

Chances came and went before the final moments. The dam finally broke on an in-swinging ball from Bouanga that allowed Kamara to rise above the defense. The striker’s momentum produced a powerful header that beat Whitecaps goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer and amped up the building.

Vancouver nearly iced the game moments before conceding the equalizer, which materialized down the right flank following a miss on the other end.

LAFC fullback Sergi Palencia found David Martínez at the top of the box, where the Venezuelan struck a first time volley that took a big hop off the grass and glazed the top of Bogusz’s hair before reaching the back of the net.

The goal matched LAFC’s latest score of the season – a Bouanga finish to seal a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls in April – when a video review confirmed that the Polish attacker was onside.

With the group standings hanging in balance Saturday at BC Place, Vancouver will play without its head coach Vanni Sartini, who protested and was shown a red card following Bogusz’s late equalizer.

Club Tijuana, which LAFC defeated in its first match, will also play without its head coach, Juan Carlos Osorio, who was sent off with a red card at BMO Stadium last week.

“We advanced,” Cherundolo said. “We didn’t lose in 90 minutes. And that was the objective tonight.”