LAFC’s Laurent Ciman(23) celebrates his goal for the win as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Laurent Ciman(23), right, celebrates his goal for the win with teammate Joao Moutinho(44), left, as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s fan Jesus Lemos plays his bass drum as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Carlos Vela(10) battles Seattle’s Gustav Svensson(4), left, and Cristian Roldan(7) as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Marco Ureña(21) battles Seattle’s Osvaldo Alonso(6) as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Steven Beitashour(3) battles for a header against Seattle’s Alex Roldan(16) as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Carlos Vela(10) battles Seattle’s Gustav Svensson(4) and Osvaldo Alonso(6) as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s fans cheer on as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
Will Ferrell releases a flacon at LAFC home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
Black and gold smoke is seen during kickoff as the LAFC make its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s fans celebrate their win at the teams home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Tyler Miller grabs the ball away from Seattle’s Gustav Svensson(4) as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
Navy Seal drops in during pregame ceremony as LAFC makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
Pregame ceremony as LAFC makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Laurent Ciman(23) does not a agree with the call as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Marco Urea(21) makes a play on the ball as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Diego Ross9) and Seattle’s Nouhou(5) battle for the ball as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC’s Omar Gaber(4) keeps the ball away from Seattle Cristian Roldan(7) as the club makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LAFC makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
Black and gold smoke is seen during kickoff as the LAFC make its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
Seattle’s Stefan Frei keeps the ball away from LAFC as the team makes its home debut against the Seattle Sounders in the first game ever at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, April 29, 2018. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
LOS ANGELES — A Hollywood ending befitted the opening of Banc of California Stadium. And so it was.
The energy was high. The anticipation was fever-pitched. But it was scoreless past the 90th minute and the home side Los Angeles Football Club, making its debut in L.A. after a six-match, season-opening trip, seemed destined for that until Laurent Ciman stepped up to the ball.
With the match in its dying embers, the 32-year-old Belgian defender drilled a shot that fooled Seattle Sounders goaltender Stefan Frei and rattled around the back of the net after Carlos Vela was fouled from 25 yards away. And with that, LAFC had a 1-0 victory in its first game in its new home.
“Sometimes you do all these things to create goals,” said LAFC head coach Bob Bradley. “And then something goes your way. Stefan Frei is a great goalkeeper Every goalkeeper will tell you all the new balls move a little bit.”
Over 90 minutes plus stoppage time the Sounders played especially physical against Vela, who took six fouls as Seattle attempted to bottle up an LAFC attack that made them the league leaders in goal per game average at 2.67 coming into the contest. Though he did not score, Vela displayed his value to the team, controlling play in the midfield and earning numerous free kicks.
“It’s part of the game,” said Vela, a 29-year-old native of Cancun, Mexico, who was signed as the team’s first player last August. “I’m trying to play good for my team and they are trying to stop me. It’s OK. I like to play like that.”
Referee Steven Stott issued three yellow cards to Seattle’s Osvaldo Alonso and Cristian Roldan and LAFC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye, but allowed a match to unfold with numerous strong challenges.
“I didn’t think that was handled the way it should have been,” Bradley said.
The final foul, however, allowed Ciman another chance to step up to the ball in a pivotal moment. Like he did in Montreal last weekend, the Belgian international drilled a shot from outside that got LAFC on the scoresheet.
Known as a stout defender, Ciman also celebrate their third clean sheet of the short season.
As they had in the opening contest, Seattle threatened LAFC goalkeeper Tyler Miller but could not squeeze out a goal. Timely saves, including a last-ditch header by Steven Beitashour in the eighth minute after the former Sounders’ goalkeeper jumped out of position, gave supporters in the sold-out stadium every reason they could to roar.
The capacity crowd of 22,000, taking in the debut of the first open-air sports facility built in Los Angeles since 1962, got the moment they so desperately wanted.
LAFC players streamed towards the supporter’s section in the North End of the stadium, reveling with “The 3252” diehards who cheered and sang well past the finish of the game.
“The only thing the team wanted to do was answer and give back to the fans and fans gave back to the team,” Ciman said. “It was a win-win situation for everyone.”
Though there wasn’t much in the way of beautiful soccer from either team, throughout the the second half LAFC (5-2-0) played on the front foot, making repeated runs at Seattle’s strong back line.
“Maybe the game was not the most fun to watch,” Vela said, “but in the end we win so everybody was excited and enjoyed.
“It was a great team win and I’m really happy.”
Bradley credited the strength of the Seattle midfield from controlling his trio of attackers, though he also noted the team was not as sharp as it has been in previous moments.
“They closed off things especially in the first half very fast. In those ways they were able to throw us off,” Bradley said. “I think we got better right from the start of the second half. We still don’t make our good football and make it go and go and go. We play in waves.”
“I say it often — we’re not Barcelona yet.”
LAFC earned its 15th point in seven games. Seattle remained in last place in the MLS Western Conference, with four points (1-4-1). The Black & Gold returns to Banc of California Stadium on May 5 against Dallas FC.
Here's the moment LAFC fans came to see!
The captain Laurent Ciman scores the game-winner in stoppage time to give LAFC their first win at home in club history. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/3zXqmFQT7f
