When BMO Didn’t Feel Like Home: LAFC Survive Chivas and Turn Their Attention to Toluca

LOS ANGELES — BMO Stadium is usually unmistakably LAFC territory.

Wednesday night felt different.

Red-and-white shirts filled large sections of the stadium. Chivas flags moved through the stands. Chants rolled around BMO, answered by drums and songs from LAFC’s 3252.

For stretches of the night, it was difficult to tell who was really playing at home.

That was the backdrop as LAFC and Chivas de Guadalajara met for the first time, producing a 1-1 draw through 90 minutes before LAFC claimed the extra point with a 5-4 penalty shootout victory.

The soccer delivered drama. But the story inside BMO went beyond the score.

A Different BMO Stadium

The announced attendance was 22,132, and Chivas supporters made their presence impossible to ignore.

Classic red-and-white shirts were everywhere. Flags waved above sections of supporters, chants of “Chivas” traveled around the stadium, and smoke drifted through the stands.

At the north end, the 3252 responded the way they normally do—drums going, scarves raised and songs continuing throughout the night.

But this wasn’t the usual BMO soundtrack.

It became a battle for the stadium itself.

LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos acknowledged the size of Chivas’ following afterward.

“Look at the stadium today, you see that they are a big club, only big clubs bring these crowds or these number of supporters.”

For Chivas, this may have technically been an away match. Inside BMO, it rarely felt like one.

Bouanga Strikes First

Once the game settled, LAFC gave its supporters something to celebrate.

In the 38th minute, David Martínez found Denis Bouanga with a well-weighted pass through the Chivas defense. Bouanga took care of the rest, sending his right-footed finish into the far corner.

The goal gave LAFC a 1-0 lead and moved Bouanga to 14 career Leagues Cup goals, level with Lionel Messi atop the competition’s all-time scoring list.

The advantage didn’t last long.

Just before halftime, Bryan González played Roberto “Piojo” Alvarado through, and the Chivas attacker finished with his left foot off the post.

1-1.

This time, it was the red-and-white sections of BMO that erupted.

Chivas Push, Hasal Answers

The second half became tighter.

Chivas saw more of the ball and continued asking questions of LAFC’s defense. Fernando González struck the woodwork, while Alvarado forced another important stop late in the match.

Thomas Hasal became increasingly important for LAFC.

The goalkeeper finished regulation with seven saves, including a late denial of Alvarado that helped keep the match level.

At the other end, Son Heung-min nearly found the winner from a curling free kick, only for Raúl “Tala” Rangel to push it away.

Neither side found the breakthrough.

Under Leagues Cup rules, that meant penalties.

And another layer of pressure.

Seventeen Years Old. One Kick to Win It.

The shootout swung immediately when Kevin Castañeda sent Chivas’ opening attempt wide.

Bouanga converted for LAFC. Ricardo Marín answered. Tyler Boyd scored before Alvarado kept Chivas alive after Marky Delgado sent his attempt over.

Brian Gutiérrez, Mathieu Choinière, Luis Gabriel Rey and Ryan Porteous converted as the shootout moved deeper.

Then Hasal made the play LAFC needed.

Luis Romo stepped forward for Chivas.

Hasal went left.

Save.

That left the deciding kick at the feet of 17-year-old Jude Terry.

Thousands of supporters behind the goal. A first-ever meeting between LAFC and Chivas hanging on one kick.

Terry buried it into the upper-right corner.

LAFC 5, Chivas 4.

The teenager turned away in celebration as his teammates rushed toward him.

After 90 minutes of noise, pressure and a stadium divided between black-and-gold and red-and-white, LAFC had survived.

Now, Toluca

There isn’t much time for LAFC to enjoy it.

Saturday night brings another Liga MX opponent to BMO Stadium: Toluca.

And this one comes with history.

The clubs met earlier this year in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. LAFC won the opening leg 2-1 at BMO before Toluca responded with a dominant 4-0 victory in Mexico to eliminate the Black & Gold.

Now they meet again.

Toluca enters Saturday’s Leagues Cup matchup following a 3-0 victory over Seattle, while LAFC carries two points from Wednesday’s shootout win over Chivas.

For LAFC, there is another question beyond what happens on the field.

What will BMO sound like this time?

Wednesday belonged to two sets of supporters fighting to make themselves heard. LAFC won the shootout, but Chivas showed just how quickly a familiar stadium can feel different when one of Mexico’s biggest clubs comes to Los Angeles.

Saturday brings the Red Devils.

Same stadium.

Another Liga MX heavyweight.

Another night under the lights at BMO.

The field talks. We listen.