The reversal was completed in the second half, and David Martinez’s dramatic goal in stoppage time helped Los Angeles FC beat Alajuelense 2-1 and advance to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals with a total score of 3-2. Los Angeles’ road record in this year’s Champions League is 3-0-0.
Los Angeles trailed 1-0 going into the final 45 minutes, but goals from Nathan Ordaz and Martínez helped them win on the road. The Black and Gold have now reached the quarterfinals in consecutive years and they have made four appearances in the tournament.
advertise
Martinez made the most of the three minutes of injury time, firing a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area past Alajuelense goalkeeper Washington Ortega and into the right corner of the net. The 20-year-old replaced Ordaz in the 64th minute and scored his second goal in CONCACAF competition this year.
The crowd’s relief was short-lived when Denis Bouanga’s 87th-minute shot hit the crossbar. Martinez left Costa Rican fans stunned when Alajuelense collapsed at a crucial moment.
Ordaz equalized in the 51st minute when Alajuelense’s Guillermo Villalobos headed home a pass from Nkosi Tafari to Timothy Tillman. The ball landed easily at the feet of Mark Delgado, who provided the perfect assist for Ordaz to complete the shot.
Santiago van der Puten put Alajuelense ahead early in the game, converting a rebound into the back of the net after Hugo Lloris had denied Celso Borges’ initial shot. Lloris has conceded just one goal in every game in CONCACAF this year while keeping clean sheets in his first four MLS starts.
advertise
This was another game where LAFC dominated possession, with 63% possession on the night. Compared to Alajuelense’s eight shots (four on target), 13 shots on goal (three on target) were enough to finally break through.
Los Angeles remains undefeated in 2026 and improved to 7-0-1 and 3-0-1 in the Champions League this year. The club currently has a 13-8-2 record in 23 games in the CONCACAF League.
Awaiting LAFC in the quarterfinals will be the winner of the last 16 series between Cruz Azul and Monterrey. The quarter-finals are scheduled to begin on April 7.
Meanwhile, the Black and Gold return to MLS action on Saturday night when they travel to Texas for a road game against Austin FC. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Los Angeles eliminated Austin in the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
advertise
So far this season, Cape Verde has a record of 1 win, 2 draws and 1 loss. Their only victory was a 1-0 victory over D.C. United on March 1.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Pacific time.
