MIAMI, Florida – Los Angeles FC will be out to avoid any surprises when they host the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg of the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday night at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
LAFC picked up a 3-0-win last week in the first leg in Vancouver thanks to a star performance from FW Denis Bouanga, who scored a pair of goals and added an assist in what was a commanding second half performance from the reigning MLS champions.
Bouanga now has five goals in just three SCCL matches this season and arrives into Tuesday night’s encounter fresh off a hat trick in LAFC’s 3-0 league win against Austin FC on Saturday.
But Bouanga is not the only concern for the Whitecaps defense. FW Carlos Vela has six career SCCL goals to his name, including a key goal in the team’s 4-2 aggregate Round of 16 victory over Alajuelense of Costa Rica.
Those two devastating and dangerous goal-scorers are bolstered by another attacking player in Opoku Kwadwo, who had the other goal in last week’s first leg triumph and now has two career SCCL scores.
In midfield, LAFC can look to the likes of Kellyn Acosta and Ilie Sanchez, the latter completing an astounding 82 of 85 passes and making five ball recoveries last week in Vancouver.
The Whitecaps will have some work to do to become the first team to rally from a three-goal deficit on the road in an SCCL two-legged series, but Vancouver certainly showed in their seven-goal haul in the Round of 16 victory against Real Espana of Honduras that they can find the back of the net.
Brian White scored in each leg against Real Espana and has a goal and an assist in his career against LAFC in MLS play, while Cristian Dajome has two career scores and an assist in eight games versus LAFC.
The Colombian was very dangerous in the first leg, hitting the post on one of his three shots. If Dajome and company can get on the scoresheet early, it might set up for a dramatic night in Los Angeles.
Game Notes, LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Match Officials
Referee: Juan Gabriel Calderon (CRC)
AR1 Juan Carlos Mora (CRC) AR2 Henri Pupiro (NCA)
4th Official: Selvin Brown (HON)
VAR: Carol-Anne Cheriard (CAN)
AVAR1: Joseph Dickerson (USA)
