LAFC Triumphs Over St. Louis City
In a dominant display on Saturday evening, Los Angeles FC triumphed over St. Louis City with a decisive 2-0 victory, marking their perfect start to the MLS season. The standout performer for LAFC was Mathieu Choiniere, who netted both goals, bringing his career total to 14 from 133 appearances in the league. This match represented Choiniere’s second multi-goal game in MLS, showcasing his ability to capitalize on critical opportunities.
Choiniere’s Goals
The 27-year-old first struck in the 73rd minute, intercepting a pass and skillfully driving toward the penalty area before firing a precise shot that nestled inside the left post. Just eight minutes later, Choiniere added to his tally with a powerful effort from the right side of the penalty box, which deflected off defender Timo Baumgartl and curved into the net.
Defensive Strength
Key to LAFC’s solid defensive performance was goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who recorded his fourth consecutive clean sheet, an achievement that places him alongside Roman Bürki as only the second player in MLS history to achieve such a feat at the start of a season. The seasoned 39-year-old French international made four key saves to preserve the shutout, further solidifying his reputation in the league following twelve clean sheets in each of his previous seasons.
St. Louis City’s Efforts
Despite the loss, St. Louis City managed to keep the pressure on with a few attempts, including a strike from Nate Ordaz that struck the post, while Denis Bouanga nearly opened the scoring early on but hit the crossbar instead. The defeat leaves St. Louis with a record of 0 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw this season.
Tribute to Ilona Löwen
In a moment of solidarity, players from both teams wore black armbands emblazoned with the initials “IL” to pay tribute to Ilona Löwen, who passed away earlier this week after a courageous battle against brain cancer. She was the wife of St. Louis midfielder Eduard Löwen, who has been sidelined this season since signing with the club as a designated player in 2022.
Looking Ahead
With this victory, LAFC remains unbeaten in the 2023 season, having outscored opponents 8-0 thus far, setting the tone for a potentially successful campaign ahead.
