LAFC’s first win in six games earned them a title.
The Black and Gold won their first US Open Cup on Wednesday with a 2-1 overtime victory over Sporting KC, their first trophy since winning the 2022 MLS Cup. Omar Campos played the hero in the extra 30 minutes, scoring from the edge of the penalty area in the 102nd minute.
Kei Kamara scored the winning goal in the second half for ET at the age of 40.
LAFC entered the match on the back of their worst run of the season, having last beaten the Seattle Sounders on August 28. That win was important, however, as Seattle was the only MLS team they needed to beat to reach Wednesday’s final.
Despite coming out cold, LAFC entered the final as heavy favorites. Sporting KC may have four Open Cup titles, but they sit 12th in the Western Conference with 8-7-16, while LAFC (14-9-7) still sit in fourth place. The crowd at BMO Stadium also gave a boost as the game moved deeper into crunch time.
Both teams had at least one good scoring chance in the first half, but went into halftime with a scoreless draw. That was quickly broken in the second half when a quick counterattack ended with Olivier Giroud finding the net.
It took just a few minutes for Sporting KC to respond, with Erik Thommy breaking through via a fine assist from Dániel Sallói.
LAFC was the more active team overall, with more passes, shots and shots on target throughout the 120-plus minutes. It was a good performance, and a much-needed one as they enter the final weeks of MLS competition.
But whatever happens, a franchise that is less than a decade old can now lay claim to the oldest soccer trophy in the United States.
