Thrilled Streak Soars High: LAFC on Course for Epic Final Triumph in Copa América!
LAFC vs. Alajuelense: decisive night in Costa Rica with quarterfinals on the line LAFC and newly appointed head coach Marc Dos Santos face a defining test in Costa Rica tonight, with their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign hanging in the balance. The team arrived in Alajuela and trained at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto on the eve of a match that will shape the early narrative of the club’s 2026 season.
The Round of 16 series is level at 1-1 on aggregate after a one-sided but ultimately frustrating first leg in Los Angeles. Despite controlling the match, LAFC failed to capitalize, allowing Alajuelense to leave BMO Stadium with a result that now shifts the pressure. The equation is simple.
A win sends LAFC through. Any draw other than 0-0 or 1-1 also secures progression. A 1-1 result forces extra time, while a scoreless draw or defeat eliminates the Black & Gold.
The winner advances to face either Cruz Azul or Monterrey in the quarterfinals. There is also a layer of internal pressure. LAFC has reached two Concacaf finals (2020, 2023) but has yet to win the competition.
Under Steve Cherundolo, the club built a reputation as a contender that fell just short. Dos Santos now inherits that context, and an early exit would immediately raise questions about continuity and ceiling. A controlled first leg, unfinished job Denis Bouanga helps W Ortega get up during the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup in Los Angeles vs Alajuelense of Costa Rica in LA (Celso Oliveira / Pitchside USA) The 1-1 draw at BMO Stadium reflected a match LAFC dictated, but not one it truly controlled.