The newest star for California soccer fans has been in MLS for only four months, yet he’s already gearing up for the biggest fight of his LAFC career. Heung-Min Son is LA’s headline attraction in tonight’s matchup against Thomas Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps, but he is certainly not the only big name.
Denis Bouanga has played a key role in the Black & Gold’s incredible run in recent seasons, helping the team to the 2022 MLS Cup and the Open Cup last year.
With LAFC Bouanga has delivered goals and assists with incredible regularity and he always seems to turn up when the stakes are highest. Of his 101 goals and 42 assists in 151 appearances for the club, 10 goals have in the pressure cooker atmosphere of the playoffs.
In his first postseason in MLS he scored twice across the three matches as LAFC played on its way to MLS Cup against the Philadelphia Union. One of those goals came off a setup from Carlos Vela, who fed Bouanga to seal the win over the LA Galaxy in the quarterfinals.
In 2023 he played five postseason matches and scored five goals, matching Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández, as LAFC reached the final again that year.
This year the French-Gabonese forward has added another layer to his game, as a regular creator for the team. He has linked up seamlessly with Son, forming one of the most devastating attacking duos in the league.
Now, with Son settling in as the club’s new superstar and Bouanga given greater space to express himself, the Black & Gold head into Saturday’s semifinal with their two marquee attackers in peak form.