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LAFC forward Denis Bouanga (99) celebrates with midfielder Jose Cifuentes (20) and forward Stipe Biuk (7) after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Union in the second half at BMO Stadium. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pressure's on for LAFC to complete this rare feat

By Alyssa Clang | Last updated 5/30/23

Los Angeles FC won the Supporter's Shield and MLS Cup in the past eight months, but to complete a rarely achieved North American treble, one elusive piece of silverware remains: the CONCACAF Champions League trophy.

Beginning Wednesday, in the first game of a two-legged final against Mexico-based Léon, LAFC faces its best chance to take it home.

In the first match, LAFC will play in Mexico. The second game against Léon is Sunday in Los Angeles. The aggregate winner over two games will be declared the strongest club in North America and seal a place in the 2023 Club World Cup.

It's a lot of pressure for a huge potential reward, but LAFC isn't sweating it.

"It's all about the moment now, all about the game," said LAFC midfielder Tim Tillman. "We're ready to go hard, and we'll do so."

Both teams fought hard against regional rivals to make the final. LAFC defeated the Philadelphia Union of MLS to clinch its spot while Léon overcame Liga MX competitors Tigres UANL.

The teams even scored similar goals along the way, with LAFC's Denis Bouanga and Léon's Fidel Ambríz firing home from about 30 yards:

Who did it better? | León LAFC

RT - Ambriz
❤️ - Bouanga ⚫️#SCCL23 pic.twitter.com/mJyruoVBJD
— Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) May 25, 2023

LAFC is in a rich vein of form in MLS; the club is third in the Western Conference with three games in hand. Léon, meanwhile, struggled in the Liga MX clausura and wound up finishing sixth. The different season schedules between Mexico and the U.S. mean that Léon hasn't played a professional game since May 7.

LAFC also has the advantage of playing in Mexico first; that means it will play the crucial second leg at home. "I think it's the perfect competition to start the first leg away,"

Tillman agreed, adding, "We know about our strengths at home. We're really good at home, we feel comfortable at home."

The Mexican club is the biggest in the central city of Léon, about three hours east of Guadalajara and four hours north of Mexico City.

It has won Liga MX seven times and has been to the Champions League final once before, losing to Costa Rica's Saprissa in heartbreaking fashion in 1993. Léon's fans are hungry for victory — and they won't be shy about letting LAFC know.

But LAFC thinks it can survive the heat.

"Any time you go away to someone else's environment or to a hostile environment, it's a big mental challenge to stay focused," defender Aaron Long admitted. "So just staying calm, knowing it's a big game, but knowing there's two legs to it.

"We have to set ourselves up for success in Leg 2."

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