Denis Bouanga had two goals and an assist to help Los Angeles FC beat Austin FC 4-1 and sweep the best-of-three series in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs. LAFC, which won Game 1 2-1, plays at second-seeded Vancouver in the one-game Western Conference semifinals. Son Heung-Min added a goal and an assist for No. 3 seed LAFC. Jeremy Ebobisse replaced Son in the 88th minute and capped the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time. Bouanga now has 100 goals across all competitions for LAFC and became the only active player — and just the ninth in history — to score at least 10 career goals in the MLS Cup playoffs. Austin’s Dani Pereira converted from the spot in first-half stoppage time.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Denis Bouanga had two goals and an assist on Sunday night to help Los Angeles FC beat Austin FC 4-1 and sweep the best-of-three series in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs.
LAFC, which won Game 1 2-1, plays at second-seeded Vancouver in the one-game Western Conference semifinals.
Son Heung-Min added a goal and an assist for No. 3 seed LAFC. Jeremy Ebobisse replaced Son in the 88th minute and capped the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time.
Son, on the counter-attack, hesitated to freeze defender Ilie Sánchez at the top of the area and then exploded toward the left end line and blasted a shot from the corner of the 6-yard box inside the back post to open the scoring in the 21st. About four minutes later, Son fed Bouanga for a finish — the 30-year-old's 100th goal across all competitions for LAFC — into a wide-open net to make it 2-0.
Bouanga cut inside to evade defender Brendan Hines-Ike — who fell to the ground — and then flicked a shot into the net from the left center of the area in the 44th minute.
Bouanga is the only active player — and is one of just nine in history — with at least 10 career goals in the MLS Cup playoffs.
LAFC's Hugo Lloris — who was second in MLS with 12 shutouts in the regular season — had three saves, including a diving stop on a penalty kick by Myrto Uzuni in the 39th minute after a hand ball in the area by Bouanga.
Ryan Porteous was shown a yellow card for a foul in the area and Dani Pereira converted from the spot in the sixth minute of stoppage time to make it 3-1 at halftime.
CJ Fodrey appeared to have cut sixth-seeded Austin's deficit to 3-2 in the 71st minute but an offsides call nullified the would-be goal.
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