Los Angeles FC 2-1 Austin FC: Son and Bouanga play their part in cagey win
Los Angeles FC were pegged back by Austin FC on Wednesday, but star forwards Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga helped them to victory.
Los Angeles FC are just a win away from progressing to round two of the MLS playoffs after they overcame Austin FC 2-1.
Nathan Ordaz's finish from point-blank range saw LAFC restore their lead in the 79th minute at BMO Field on Wednesday.
Brendan Hines-Ike turned Ryan Hollingshead's dangerous cross into his own net to put LAFC in the 20th minute.
But with LAFC's star forwards Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga having gone close on a couple of occasions, Austin rallied, restoring parity when Owen Wolff cleverly teed up Jon Gallagher in the 63rd minute.
LAFC immediately got back on the front foot, though, and the pressure told when Son played in Bouanga, whose deflected effort fell kindly for Ordaz to nudge home.
Austin will now host the 2022 MLS Cup champions in game two of the best-of-three series on Sunday.
Data Debrief: LAFC's playoff goal rush rolls on
LAFC have now scored in 16 of their 17 playoff games, and have netted at least once in all 12 of their postseason fixtures at home.
However, this result did snap a run of two home playoff games in which LAFC had not scored multiple goals.
It also ensured that Austin's hopes of being the first team to claim three shut-out wins over LAFC were dashed. They had previously beaten LAFC 1-0 in March and October in the regular season.
