LAFC Vs Club Leon: 3 things we learned – Disaster

1. Shooting yourself in the foot

Talk about horrible game management. At 1-0 down, despite being largely outplayed for the majority of the match and conceding several excellent opportunities in the second half, Los Angeles FC were not out of the tie. In fact, with the return leg at home, where LAFC are formidable, they were very much still in it.

But then they produced an emblematic moment of their stupidity: Carlos Vela dallied with the ball, then he played a hospital pass to Mohamed El Munir, then El Munir failed to deal with the pass, dribbling into trouble instead of whipping a quick clearing pass down the line, then the LAFC defensive line completely splintered, leaving Liga MX’s top goalscorer with time and space in the penalty area to pick whatever finish he wanted to.

Club Leon’s opener also stemmed from a loose turnover, Mark-Anthony Kaye forcing a pass forwards that was easily intercepted. LAFC turned over possession time and time and time again, and they lacked the pressing intensity and structure to defend the game in transition.

This was a lesson in how to manage a potent front three, take advantage of your opponent’s mistakes, and put one foot in the quarter-finals. Club Leon were superb; LAFC were disastrous. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.