LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, back left, scores a goal past Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver, right, during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. LAFC won, 2-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Denis Bouanga controls the ball during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, left, moves the ball up the field during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Omar Campos (2) controls the ball while defended by Austin FC defender Mikel Desler, left, during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Denis Bouanga flips in the air after scoring a goal during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, center, celebrates after scoring a goal during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward David Martínez, left, kicks the ball as Austin FC midfielder Daniel Pereira defends during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Eduard Atuesta, front, vies for the ball during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Aaron Long, left, kicks the ball while chased by Austin FC forward Sebastián Driussi during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Head referee Jon Freemon, left, issues a yellow card to Austin FC defender Mikkel Desler, not pictured, while LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, right, reacts during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC midfielder Ilie Sánchez, left, vies for the ball with Austin FC midfielder Alexander Ring during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, right, controls the ball against Austin FC midfielder Osman Bukari during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Maxime Chanot, center, controls the ball during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward David Martínez, right, chases down Austin FC defender Guilherme Biro during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Sergi Palencia, left, recovers the ball in front of Austin FC forward Jon Gallagher during the first half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera moves the ball up the field during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera (13) points to a teammate after scoring a goal past Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver, bottom right, during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, left, reacts after scoring a goal past Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver, right, during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Sergi Palencia, left, kicks the ball as Austin FC forward Gyasi Zardes, right, looks on during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Kei Kamara, right, kicks the ball while chased by Austin FC forward Jon Gallagher during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Erik Dueñas, center, moves the ball up the filed during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, right, moves the ball up the field during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, right, kicks the ball into play during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Omar Campos, right, vies for the ball against Austin FC defender Mikkel Delser during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo, center, reacts on the sideline during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Jesús Murillo chases the ball down during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC defender Sergi Palencia, right, dribbles the ball past Austin FC midfielder Owen Wolff during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LAFC fans cheer during the second half of the team’s Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Smoke is emitted from the LAFC 3252 supporter section during the second half of the team’s Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
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LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, back left, scores a goal past Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver, right, during the second half of their Leagues Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. LAFC won, 2-0. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
LOS ANGELES — For the first time since joining the Los Angeles Football Club last week, French striker Olivier Giroud watched his new teammates compete in person.
Ten minutes into the Round of 32 contest, the video boards around BMO Stadium showed Giroud chatting with the ubiquitous Will Ferrell. The crowd, sparse as it was for the short-notice midweek match, cheered their new No. 9 as he looked down on the field where his dear friend, LAFC goalkeeper and fellow French national team legend Hugo Lloris had punted the ball to midfield.
Giroud’s view wasn’t particularly pretty – the grass turf had been resodded Monday following a weekend boxing event at BMO Stadium and resembled a parquet floor – but then he got a look at last year’s MLS Golden Boot winner Dénis Bouanga doing what he does best.
After Lloris’ outlet pass leapfrogged an Austin defender, the French winger immediately charged toward the visitors’ net and beat goalkeeper Brad Stuver inside the left post for a lead LAFC never relinquished as it improved to 7-2-1 all-time against the Texans.
“You don’t play this type of action to make the last pass,” Lloris said. “You just want to play the ball into space and create a disbalance with the opponent. I think it’s more the credit of Dénis that goes 1v1 and scored a good goal, but again it’s always positive to be involved in fast transition and when we score goals.”
Bouanga joined LAFC’s other wingers, Cristian Olivera and Mateusz Bogusz, in working with Lloris on outlet passes in training this week, continuing a progression in that area of the game since the goalkeeper’s arrival prior to the season.
“We were hoping to gain that this year with him, and we have gotten that,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “It does help us bypass pressure moments and jumpstart our offense, which is imperative. It’s an area that we’re struggling in and actively working on. But we have been stronger at that of late.”
In this instance, Bouanga was anticipating and prepared for Lloris to deliver the quick pass, setting up his eighth goal in six career Leagues Cup appearances.
“It’s a weapon,” Lloris said. “In transition if we manage well to get the ball into the space they can create, and it was the case today. It worked. I’m happy with that. It’s not the most important for me. I will say that the clean sheet is even more important but I can be pleased with that.”
Lloris added five saves to lock down his 11th shutout of the year across all competitions. Meanwhile, the assist was the second of his 20-year run as a professional, the other one coming in 2010 when he played for Lyon in the French first division.
“I also remember many times it could have been an assist but we didn’t score,” he said. “It’s part of the game.”
Starting in the spot Giroud will soon occupy, Bogusz facilitated LAFC’s second goal an hour into the contest, letting the announced crowd of 12,930 enjoy themselves for the final 30 minutes as the home team cruised to the finish.
An interception by defender Aaron Long allowed Bouanga to feed Bogusz in the Austin end of the field. The versatile young Polish attacker pirouetted before finding Olivera, who replaced David Martínez to begin the second half. Olivera’s third goal of the current Leagues Cup competition, his 11th overall this year, beat Stuver when the shot was redirected off a defender.
The victory gives LAFC a Round of 16 home game next Tuesday against the San Jose Earthquakes or Liga MX squad Club Necaxa, who play on Thursday for the right to visit BMO Stadium.
“I think there’s everything inside the training room to make a really good season,” Lloris said. “The performance today was average but we managed to win the game. What I noticed again is we can suffer and that’s really important when you want to play for trophies. Today we suffered a lot, even too much, but we stayed strong and that’s really important.”
