Denis Bouanga earned a penalty, scored from the spot and assisted on a goal, all in a dominant first half, and Los Angeles FC earned a 2-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Saturday night.
Nathan Ordaz also scored a goal for LAFC (9-5-5, 32 points), which improved to 2-1-0 after they went 0-2-1 in three games of the FIFA Club World Cup and did not advance out of group play.
Hugo Lloris needed to make just one save for his eighth clean sheet of the season and 20th over two seasons in Los Angeles.
Maarten Paes made seven saves for FC Dallas (5-10-6, 21 points), which lost their fourth consecutive game, while giving up multiple goals in each. FC Dallas has allowed 11 total goals over their past four games.
LAFC improved to 6-0-1 all-time at home against FC Dallas in the regular season, with the six victories all in succession.
LAFC took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute, when FC Dallas turned the ball deep in their own end of the field. Bouanga found Ordaz with a pass just inside the penalty area and he scored with his right foot for his fifth goal of the season and second in two games.
Bouanga increased the lead to 2-0 in the 45th minute when he moved into the penalty area and was knocked off his feet by FC Dallas defender Shaq Moore. Bouanga converted from the spot for his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
FC Dallas’ Luciano Acosta, second on the club with five goals, came off the bench for just the third time this season but failed to ignite the offense over the final 30 minutes.
After a non-contact leg injury, LAFC defender Aaron Long departed in the 76th minute and was taken to the locker room on a motorized cart.
LAFC owned possession for 62.1 percent of the match and took 17 shots to 11 for FC Dallas.
–Field Level Media
