LAFC 3-1 Kansas City (September 25, 2024) Match Analysis

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Omar Campos and Kei Kamara scored in extra time and Los Angeles FC won the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time with a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night.

Olivier Giroud also scored for LAFC, which won its fourth trophy since it began playing in 2018. The club won Major League Soccer’s Supporters Shield in 2019 and 2022 as the top regular-season club and defeated Philadelphia Union on penalties to win the 2022 MLS Cup.

It was LAFC’s first appearance in the Open Cup, ending a streak of four consecutive title-winning campaigns in various competitions. It was the 109th edition of the Open Cup, the oldest national soccer competition.

By reaching the finals of the Leagues Cup and the US Open Cup, LAFC is on track to play 46 games in the regular season. Last year, the club played 53 games and reached the finals of the CONCACAF Champions League and the MLS Cup, among others.

With Wednesday’s win, LAFC is 48-25-21 in all competitions over the past two seasons.

Erik Thommy scored a goal for Sporting KC, which had previously won four Open Cup finals, the last in 2017.

Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia saved three shots to help keep the game scoreless in the first half.

Giroud made his breakthrough for LAFC in the 53rd minute when he surprised Melia in front of goal and outplayed two defenders.

It was Giroud’s second goal in ten games for LAFC since joining the club in early August.

Thommy equalized in the 60th minute with a shot into the near corner after a cross from Dániel Sallói.

Campos, a second-half substitute, scored his first goal for LAFC in the 102nd minute from the edge of the box.

Kamara, the second-leading goalscorer in MLS history, scored another goal with a header in the 109th minute.

LAFC is in fourth place in the Western Conference as the MLS regular season nears its final stretch. Sporting Kansas City will not qualify for the postseason.