Denis Bouanga grabbed the winner as defending MLS champions Los Angeles FC defeated the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Sunday to set up a Western Conference final clash with the Houston Dynamo.
Seattle had won their last 19 home games in the playoffs, a run going back 10 years, but despite late pressure they were unable to find a way past LAFC keeper Maxime Crepeau.
The Canadian, who broke his leg during last season’s MLS Cup final win over Philadelphia and missed most of this season, produced a series of saves to deny the two-times champions.
The keeper was brought into action in just the third minute, getting down low to keep out a drive from Josh Atencio.
Sounders striker Jordan Morris then used his pace to power away from LA’s veteran Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini but his lofted shot was clawed away by the advancing Crepeau.
The Sounders were on top but the 35,000 home supporters were silenced on the half hour.
Mexican international Carlos Vela spread the ball out wide to Bouanga on the left and the French-born Gabon international, the top scorer in the league with 20 goals in the regular season, cut inside before unleashing a fierce drive into the far corner.
Seattle came out after the break determined to find a way into the game but LAFC’s solid back line kept them at bay.
Yeimar Gomez had a scuffed shot cleared off the line by Timothy Tillman and then Brazilian Joao Paulo’s well-struck curling effort was superbly tipped over by Crepeau.
In stoppage time, Albert Rusnak went closest to beating the Canada international with a deflected strike from distance which rattled the bar.
– Escobar header –
A header from Argentine defender Franco Escobar gave the Houston Dynamo a 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
Escobar rose to firmly head in a corner from Hector Herrera in the 39th minute as Houston kept alive their hope of…
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