LAFC and LD Alajuelense Draw in Concacaf Champions Cup
In a tightly contested match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, LAFC played LD Alajuelense to a 1-1 draw in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 on March 10, 2026. The match saw LAFC dominate in terms of shots, outshooting Alajuelense 28 to 4.
Alejandro Bran opened the scoring for Alajuelense in the 44th minute, ending LAFC’s impressive streak of 443 minutes without conceding a goal. However, Denis Bouanga equalized for LAFC just 11 minutes into the second half, marking his fourth goal in the 2026 Champions Cup and solidifying his position as the tournament’s top scorer.
LAFC’s record now stands at 5-0-1 for the year, maintaining an unbeaten status in 2026. The team has also performed well in the Champions Cup, with a record of 2-0-1 this year. Historically, LAFC has qualified for Concacaf play four times and has a strong home record of 7-2-1 in Concacaf competitions.
Despite the draw, LAFC’s head coach Marc Dos Santos expressed a positive outlook, stating, “If you’re going to draw or lose a game I prefer it’s us on the front foot and always pushing.”
Ryan Hollingshead, a player for LAFC, acknowledged the challenge presented by Alajuelense, noting, “I think they worked really hard. They created nothing. They had an amazing finish on a volley that I think we would put our money on not happening again, but sometimes that’s football.”
Looking ahead, LAFC will face Alajuelense again in the second leg of the Round of 16 on March 17, 2026, in Costa Rica, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT. Hollingshead emphasized the importance of the upcoming match, stating, “This isn’t time to sound the alarm. We knew going into this that it was 180 minutes. We’re tied and now we gotta go get a result in Costa Rica.”
As both teams prepare for the decisive second leg, observers are eager to see how LAFC will respond on the road against Alajuelense, a team they previously defeated 3-0 in Costa Rica during the 2023 Concacaf Champions League Round of 16.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding any potential lineup changes or strategies for the upcoming match.
