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LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Football Club advanced to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Tuesday night at BMO Stadium.
Following LAFC’s 2-1 defeat to the Rapids in Colorado last week in Leg One, Mark Delgado scored the only goal of the game tonight to tie the Round 1 aggregate-goal series at 2-2, sending the LAFC through to the Round of 16 by way of scoring more away goals in the series.
LAFC faces the Columbus Crew in the two-leg, aggregate goal Round of 16 series. LAFC will host the first leg of that series at BMO Stadium on Tuesday, March 4, before traveling to Columbus for the second leg on March 11. The winner of that series faces the winner of the series between Inter Miami and Cavalier FC of the Jamaica Premier League.
Following a scoreless first half, LAFC broke the deadlock in the 49th minute thanks to Delgado’s first-ever goal for LAFC. David Martínez got behind the Colorado defense on the right wing and hit a low cross across the face of goal that Delgado was able to redirect past Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen, making the score 1-0.
The score would stay that way until the final whistle with LAFC outshooting Colorado 11-5 on the night and keeping the Rapids from registering a single shot on target.
LAFC returns to MLS action on Saturday night when the club hosts New York City FC at BMO Stadium.
That match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT. (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, 710 AM, 980 AM)
GAME NOTES:
LAFC is in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the third time, having reached the Final in 2020 and 2023 when it was called the Concacaf Champions League.
With tonight’s win, LAFC is now 8-6-1 all-time in the competition, including 4-2-0 at home. The club has outscored opponents 26-14 in those 15 games, keeping six clean sheets.
Against MLS opponents in Concacaf play, LAFC is 4-1-1 all-time, knocking off Vancouver in the 2023 quarterfinals, Philadelphia in the 2023 semifinals, and now Colorado in Round 1 of the 2025 Champions Cup.
LAFC is yet to allow a goal at home in 2025, keeping back-to-back clean sheets at BMO Stadium to open the season.
Since the start of 2018, LAFC is 8-0-0 in all competitions against the Rapids at BMO Stadium outscoring them 22-2 in that time and eliminating the club from the 2024 Leagues Cup and now 2025 Champions Cup.
The last five matches between the teams at BMO Stadium have all been won by LAFC by a combined score of 15-0.
Mark Delgado’s goal was his first in an LAFC shirt and his first in 16 career appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup, having previously played in the competition with Toronto FC.
David Martínez recorded his first-ever assist in the Champions Cup.
Hugo Lloris collected his first-ever clean sheet in Concacaf play. He did not have to make a save after facing five shots, none of which were on target.
Colorado’s final shot of the game came in the 67th minute.
Marlon and Nkosi Tafari each made their Champions Cup debuts for LAFC, coming into the game as second-half substitutes.
New signings Artem Smoliakov and Jude Terry were each included in the game-day squad for the first time.
After going 20-3-5 at home in all competitions in 2024, LAFC has opened 2025 with a 2-0-0 mark at BMO Stadium.
COURTESY PHOTO / LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB COMMUNICTIONS
Los Angeles FC midfielder Mark Delgado makes the pass during his team's 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and news@nationalsoccernetwork.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan and national media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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