LOS ANGELES — Extending its club-record shutout streak to 575 minutes, the Los Angeles Football Club ground down a beleaguered FC Dallas on Saturday to secure a seventh straight victory in all competitions.
Denis Bouanga’s 10th goal of the season at the 74-minute mark was his fifth game winner in 2024, lifting LAFC to the second spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, three points behind Real Salt Lake with a game in hand.
As the regular season pauses at the midway point for a two week FIFA window, LAFC (9-4-3, 30 points) welcomed the time off despite interrupting their successful run that helped them recover from the club’s second worst start to a season.
“We are a thin roster and we’ve relied heavily on predominantly the same group for most of the minutes all year,” said LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo. “So they need a break.”
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris matched a personal high with his fifth consecutive clean sheet, equaling the mark he established at Lyon and Tottenham.
The 37-year-old legendary Frenchman made three saves against Dallas. His best effort came in the 82nd minute, when Dallas forward Peter Musa struck a shot from five yards inside the midfield line that forced Lloris to backpedal and extend his left arm to knock the shot over the bar.
Otherwise, it was yet another match for LAFC when Lloris faced minimal pressure and the Black & Gold dictated the terms.
Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes pushed away dangerous but deep shots from Bouanga and Mateusz Bogusz in the opening half, finishing with nine saves as LAFC put 10 of their 17 shots on goal.
Bogusz and Bouanga combined for the only goal of the match when the Polish midfielder split the Dallas (3-8-4, 13 points) backline with a pass just beyond the outstretched leg of former LAFC defender Sebastien Ibeagha.
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One on one against Paes, Bouanga tucked it into the net for his 15th goal contribution of the season and Bogusz’s third assist — one of 12 LAFC players who have set up a goal this year.
While Bogusz will remain in L.A. during the break, Bouanga was called in to join the Gabonese national team. Omar Campos, Cristian Olivera, Maxime Chanot and Timothy Tillman will also appear with their respective nations while their teammates rest and recover ahead of what’s expected to be a busy summer with LAFC.
