LAFC humbled by Sporting Kansas City after disaster first half

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — LAFC spent the first half of Saturday night looking like a team that had forgotten what was at stake.

Sporting Kansas City came into the match with the worst goal difference in MLS and 58 goals conceded through 23 games, yet it was LAFC that looked overwhelmed for long stretches at Sporting Park. By halftime, Sporting had built a 2-0 lead, and although LAFC fought its way back into the match after the break, a late defensive mistake turned what briefly looked like a comeback into a 3-1 loss.

Marc Dos Santos did not have a complicated explanation for what went wrong.

“The problem is in the first half we stayed in the plane,” Dos Santos said. “I think in the first half we were still in LA, maybe very disappointing. We defended far from each other, passive. We didn't win any duels in the first half.”

It was a startling opening from an LAFC team that had just set a club record with its 13th clean sheet against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. Five days later, the Black & Gold were repeatedly exposed by a Sporting attack that had been among the league’s least productive.

Andre Luiz, Sporting’s club-record signing, made the difference early. He opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a spectacular finish after leaving Igor Jesus on the ground with a cutback, then nearly added another minutes later with a backheel into a volley that Hugo Lloris had to push behind.

The second goal was less spectacular and more concerning. LAFC lost track of Stephen Afrifa at the back post, allowing him to head Taylor Calheira’s cross across goal and into the net.

Lloris kept the deficit from growing before halftime, while Stefan Cleveland denied Denis Bouanga at the other end. Bouanga was clearly LAFC’s most dangerous attacking player, even as the team around him struggled to create much consistently. He nearly cut the deficit before halftime, then came out of the break determined to change the game himself.

He did exactly that.

Just two minutes into the second half, Jacob Shaffelburg found Bouanga at the back post with a difficult pass while falling, and Bouanga finished to make it 2-1. The goal tied Carlos Vela for the most regular-season goals in LAFC history with 78.

Suddenly, the match looked completely different.

Bouanga had another goal ruled out for offside five minutes later and continued finding ways into dangerous positions. Cleveland was forced into another major save, while LAFC kept pushing for an equalizer.

Dos Santos acknowledged the response, but the damage from the opening 45 minutes had already left LAFC with little margin for error.

“We were all over them,” Dos Santos said of the first half-hour after the break. “We could have tied in two actions.”

Instead, Sporting regained control.

In the 71st minute, a deflected Andre Luiz shot fell directly to Jacob Bartlett, who was left alone inside the box and finished past Lloris. Yevhen Cheberko took responsibility afterward, saying the turnover that led to the goal was his mistake.

“I take responsibility on myself because I need to be better,” Cheberko said.

That goal effectively ended LAFC’s comeback attempt, although Bouanga had one final opportunity in the 86th minute. With Son Heung-Min open to his left, Bouanga tried to take on the Sporting defense himself and waited too long before the chance disappeared.

For Cheberko, the loss was particularly frustrating because LAFC knows the standard it is trying to reach.

“We want to be contender and try to be our goal to win the MLS,” he said. “That's not good enough from everyone.”

Dos Santos reached a similar conclusion. LAFC had traveled to Kansas City after finally ending its six-game league winless run Wednesday, but the coach said the result was another reminder that its ambitions have to be backed up on the field.

“You don't win games just looking at standings,” Dos Santos said. “You have to win them on the field.”

The loss also came as LAFC continues integrating players returning from injury. Igor Jesus played 45 minutes in his first start in more than a year, while Sergi Palencia returned to action and Armindo Sieb continued building his fitness.

Those additions could eventually change what LAFC is capable of. For now, though, Dos Santos knows there is no time to wait for the team to become whole.