LAFC Secures Narrow Victory Against Minnesota United

Denis Bouanga converted a penalty kick in the 42nd minute, securing a 1-0 victory for Los Angeles FC against Minnesota United on Wednesday night. The decisive moment came after Jeremy Ebobisse was fouled by defender Nicolás Romero, who received a yellow card for the infraction.

This marked Bouanga's 11th goal of the season, as he skillfully placed a right-footed shot past Minnesota's goalkeeper, Dayne St. Clair. Hugo Lloris, the LAFC goalkeeper, maintained the lead with three crucial saves, achieving his third consecutive clean sheet and tying for the league-high with nine shutouts this season.

St. Clair, who entered the match with nine shutouts of his own, recorded five saves but could not prevent the loss for Minnesota United, which now holds a home record of 6-3-3. Historically, Minnesota has struggled against LAFC, managing only one home victory since the latter joined the league in 2018. That lone win occurred in March of the previous season during the debut of Minnesota's manager, Eric Ramsay.

Earlier this season, LAFC also defeated Minnesota United 1-0 in their home opener. With this latest win, LAFC improves its overall record to 10-5-5 and moves to 2-3-4 on the road. The team recently enjoyed a strong performance at home, shutting out both the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas with a combined score of 5-0.

Looking ahead, LAFC is set to host their rivals, the Los Angeles Galaxy, on Saturday, while Minnesota United will travel to face the Portland Timbers on the same day.