Choinière Shines as LAFC Earn 2–0 Victory Over St. Louis
Mathieu Choiniere #66 Celebrating his first of the night. (Photo By: Juan Hernandez)
Los Angeles FC picked up another important result on Saturday night, defeating St. Louis CITY SC 2–0 at BMO Stadium. After a scoreless first half, LAFC found their rhythm late in the match, with midfielder Mathieu Choinière scoring twice to secure all three points for the Black & Gold. The victory continued LAFC’s strong start to the MLS season and extended their impressive defensive run.
Heung Min Son #7 Putting Pressure on St Louis Defense. (Photo By: Juan Hernandez)
First Half Ends Without a Breakthrough
The match began with both teams looking to take control early. LAFC pushed forward with energy and created several dangerous chances in the opening minutes. Forward Denis Bouanga nearly opened the scoring when his shot struck the crossbar, while striker Nathan Ordaz also came close with an attempt that hit the post.
Despite LAFC’s attacking pressure, St. Louis stayed organized at the back and looked to counter when possible. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was alert when called upon, helping keep the visitors from finding the net. After a competitive opening 45 minutes, neither side managed to score, sending the match into halftime tied 0–0.
Mathieu Choiniere #66 (Photo By: Juan Hernandez)
Choinière Changes the Game
The second half saw LAFC gradually take control of possession and push higher up the field. Their persistence finally paid off in the 73rd minute. Choinière intercepted a pass in midfield, carried the ball forward, and fired a low shot from outside the box that found the bottom corner to give LAFC the lead.
Just minutes later, the midfielder doubled the advantage. In the 81st minute, Choinière received the ball near the edge of the area and struck another shot that curled into the far side of the goal, completing his brace and putting the match out of reach for St. Louis.
Mark Delgado #8 ( Photo By: Juan Hernandez)
Defense Holds Strong Again
While the goals secured the win, LAFC’s defensive performance once again stood out. Led by veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the backline stayed compact and limited St. Louis’ opportunities throughout the match. Lloris made several key saves to preserve the clean sheet and maintain the team’s strong defensive record early in the season.
Denis Bouanga #99. (Photo By: Juan Hernandez)
LAFC Continue Their Strong Start
With the victory, LAFC continued building momentum in the early weeks of the MLS campaign. The team has shown balance on both ends of the field, combining an effective attack with a defense that has been difficult for opponents to break down.
For LAFC, Saturday’s win was another sign that the squad is finding its rhythm and could be a strong contender in the Western Conference as the season progresses.