5 October 2023
Los Angeles FC had not scored a single goal across four matches coming into Wednesday’s MLS game against Minnesota United.
The Loons fullbacks helped LAFC get off the skid.
LAFC attacker Denis Bouanga netted a first-half hat trick — including exposing DJ Taylor and Ethan Bristow before two goals — in a 5-1 win at BMO Stadium.
The defeat was the latest blow to MNUFC’s already wounded chances of making the MLS Cup Playoffs. The 12th-place Loons (9-12-11, 38 points) were not eliminated Wednesday, but the odds are much longer after dropping all three points to LAFC (13-10-9, 48 points). LAFC clinched a playoff spot with the blowout win.
Trailing 3-1 at the half, Loons manager Adrian Heath hooked both fullbacks, replacing them with veteran defenders Zarek Valentin and Bakaye Dibassy.
The Loons have had persistent issues at fullback this season.
MNUFC terminated the contract of Kemar Lawrence in early August after the Jamaican had become a persistent detriment in the locker room and to the club’s front office.
In the meantime, the Loons brought in Bristow at the end of the summer transfer window. The 21-year-old British left back had been playing for Tranmere Rovers in the fourth tier of English football.
The addition of Bristow irked some members of the Loons academy system because they felt Bristow had the same profile as homegrown fullback Devin Padelford. When Padelford has played, the Maplewood native has not had the defensive lapses Bristow has endured.
Heath, who signed off on the addition of Bristow in the transfer window, has stuck by him on the field despite repeated issues over the last few months. Bristow’s two yellow cards in the 4-3 loss to Los Angeles Galaxy two weeks ago was the most dramatic situation.
The latest gaffe came with Bristow somehow not marking Bouanga inside the 18-yard box for Bouanga to be able to have the space to score his second goal.
Taylor, who was taken off at halftime of the 1-1 draw with San Jose, got beat by Bouanga on a dribble for his third goal in first-half stoppage time.
With previous issues at left back, Heath said he didn’t want to turn to Dibassy because he felt like Bristow was a better fit as a left-footed player. Dibassy has previously played at that spot for MNUFC.
The Loons took a 1-0 lead with Hassani Dotson’s header in the fourth minute. It didn’t last long as Bouanga scored his first goal in the sixth minute.
The Loons issues at fullback continue in the attacking third as well, with MNUFC not receiving enough quality service on crosses into the box this season.
But that issue paled in importance to what was the latest series of defensive blows at that spot this season.
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