LAFC and L.D. Alajuelense Draw in Champions Cup Clash
In a tightly contested match, LAFC faced L.D. Alajuelense at BMO Stadium on March 10, 2026, resulting in a 1-1 draw in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
Alejandro Bran put Alajuelense ahead with a goal in the 44th minute, ending LAFC’s impressive streak of 443 minutes without conceding a goal. However, LAFC responded with a goal from Denis Bouanga in the 56th minute, marking his fourth goal in the 2026 Champions Cup and solidifying his position as the tournament’s top scorer.
Despite dominating the match with a staggering 28 shots compared to Alajuelense’s 4, LAFC was unable to secure a victory. The team’s head coach, Marc Dos Santos, expressed his preference for a proactive approach, stating, “If you’re going to draw or lose a game I prefer it’s us on the front foot and always pushing.”
Ryan Hollingshead, a key player for LAFC, reflected on the match, noting, “I think they worked really hard. They created nothing. They had an amazing finish on a volley that I think we would put our money on not happening again, but sometimes that’s football.”
LAFC remains unbeaten in 2026, holding a record of 5-0-1 and a Champions Cup record of 2-0-1 this year. Historically, LAFC has qualified for Concacaf play four times and boasts a strong home record of 7-2-1 in Concacaf competitions.
The first leg’s draw sets the stage for the second leg, which will take place on March 17, 2026, in Costa Rica. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT. Dos Santos emphasized the importance of the upcoming match, stating, “Draws like this, nine out of 10 times we’re going to win games like that.”
Hollingshead added, “This isn’t time to sound the alarm. We knew going into this that it was 180 minutes. We’re tied and now we gotta go get a result in Costa Rica.”
As both teams prepare for the decisive second leg, observers are eager to see how LAFC will respond after this draw and whether they can advance further in the tournament.
