VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Mateusz Bogusz scored 35 seconds into the match, Ilie Sánchez found the net during second-half stoppage time, and Los Angeles FC pulled out a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night.
Bogusz used assists from David Martínez and Olivier Giroud to score his career-high 15th goal of the season for LAFC (18-8-7). Martínez notched his fourth assist in his 16th career appearance and Giroud picked up his third in his ninth career appearance.
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Los Angeles FC's Omar Campos, left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Ryan Raposo, right, vie for the ball during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, center, and Los Angeles FC's Eddie Segura (4) vie for the ball as Los Angeles' Omar Campos (2) watches during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, left, and Los Angeles FC's Eddie Segura (4) vie for the ball during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Deiber Caicedo, center, prepares to kick the ball, missing the net, as Los Angeles FC's Timothy Tillman, left, and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, right, watch during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's Eddie Segura (4) and Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, bottom, vie for the ball during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, left, kicks the ball as Los Angeles FC's Omar Campos (2) defends during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, left, and Tristan Blackmon, right, celebrate Sebastian Berhalter's, not seen, goal against Los Angeles FC during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris watches as the ball enters the net after the Vancouver Whitecaps score during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Ralph Priso, left, and Los Angeles FC's Olivier Giroud, center, vie for the ball as David Martinez (30) watches during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's Timothy Tillman, front left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White, right, jumps on Los Angeles FC's Timothy Tillman, left, after a whistle during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's Mateusz Bogusz, center, scores against Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka, right, as Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, left, defends during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, front left, and Sebastian Berhalter, right, vie for the ball with Los Angeles FC's Lewis O'Brien, center, during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, right, and Los Angeles FC's Omar Campos, top, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's David Martinez, left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's David Martinez, center left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Sebastian Berhalter pulled Vancouver (13-12-8) even in the 62nd minute when he scored off a free kick. It was his second goal of the season and the fourth of his career. The kick came after a hand ball foul on LAFC midfielder Sergi Palencia.
Sánchez scored in the third minute of stoppage time. It was his first goal this season and the 10th of his career. Kei Kamara earned his fifth assist of the campaign.
Hugo Lloris, who was coming off back-to-back clean sheets, finished with three saves in goal for LAFC.
Yohei Takaoka saved two shots for the Whitecaps.
LAFC pulls within three points of the Los Angeles Galaxy in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference and can finish no worse than second. LAFC posted a 3-0 home win over the Whitecaps in May and leads the all-time series 10-6-4.
Vancouver, currently the No. 8 seed in the West, falls to 0-4-2 in its last six matches.
LAFC will host the San Jose Earthquakes in a Decision Day match on Saturday. The Whitecaps travel to play Real Salt Lake on Saturday to close out the regular season.
AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer
Los Angeles FC's Omar Campos, left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Ryan Raposo, right, vie for the ball during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, center, and Los Angeles FC's Eddie Segura (4) vie for the ball as Los Angeles' Omar Campos (2) watches during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, left, and Los Angeles FC's Eddie Segura (4) vie for the ball during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Deiber Caicedo, center, prepares to kick the ball, missing the net, as Los Angeles FC's Timothy Tillman, left, and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, right, watch during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's Eddie Segura (4) and Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, bottom, vie for the ball during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, left, kicks the ball as Los Angeles FC's Omar Campos (2) defends during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, left, and Tristan Blackmon, right, celebrate Sebastian Berhalter's, not seen, goal against Los Angeles FC during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris watches as the ball enters the net after the Vancouver Whitecaps score during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Ralph Priso, left, and Los Angeles FC's Olivier Giroud, center, vie for the ball as David Martinez (30) watches during second half MLS soccer action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's Timothy Tillman, front left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White, right, jumps on Los Angeles FC's Timothy Tillman, left, after a whistle during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's Mateusz Bogusz, center, scores against Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka, right, as Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, left, defends during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, front left, and Sebastian Berhalter, right, vie for the ball with Los Angeles FC's Lewis O'Brien, center, during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, right, and Los Angeles FC's Omar Campos, top, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's David Martinez, left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles FC's David Martinez, center left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Levonte Johnson, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
