LAFC beat Philadelphia Union 3-0 to advance into the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League Final. LAFC will face off Club León in the finals on May 31 and June 4.

LAFC beat Philadelphia Union 3-0 to advance into the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League Final. LAFC will face off Club León in the finals on May 31 and June 4.

The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is going back to the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, better known as CONCACAF, Champions League Final. They beat Philadelphia Union in the semifinals 4-1 by aggregate on Tuesday, May 2 in BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

LAFC and Philadelphia, were on equal ground after the end of the first leg of the semifinals with a 1-1 draw on April 26. The advantage was taken by LAFC early in Tuesday’s game after midfielder Timothy Tillman scored from a tight position in the 13th minute from a rebound off of Union keeper Andre Jason Blake.

Union had their shot to bring it back to a draw in the 23rd minute when midfielder Daniel Gazdag had the opportunity to shoot but went wide. For the remainder of the first half, five yellow cards were administered — two to LAFC and three to Philadelphia. The score stayed 1-0 by the end of the first half.

In the second half, Union focused on their offense. LAFC used a balanced approach, which would work in their favor later in the match.

In the 58th minute, Union defender Olivier Mbaizo received his second yellow card of the match after a hard foul on LAFC leftwing David Bounga. This resulted in a red card and an immediate exit from the game, leaving Union short one man for the rest of the game.

The last two goals of the match came in the last 10 minutes. LAFC rightwing Kwadwo Opuko, who was substituted in on the 65th minute, scored the second goal of the match. The final goal of the match in the 89th minute was scored by Bounga, prompting fans to spray their drinks in excitement as the final whistle blew.

LAFC’s shutout score of 3-0 advances them into the finals. They will face Club Leon on Wednesday, May 31 at Estadio León, Mexico, and on Sunday, June 4 at BMO Stadium.León beat Club de Fútbol Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Tigres UANL) 3-1 on May 3.

The finals could be a chance of redemption for LAFC after losing 2-1 in the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League Final to Tigres UANL.

The winner of this year's final will represent CONCACAF in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, from Tuesday, December 12, to Friday, December 22. This will also be the last seven-team Club World Cup before expanding to 32 teams in 2025.

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