Denis Bouanga passes Carlos Vela for another LAFC milestone | OneFootball

By Jonathan Sigal

Denis Bouanga further etched his place in the LAFC record books during Matchday 27's Walmart Saturday Showdown.

The superstar Gabon international scored off a Son Heung-Min assist in the 53rd minute of LAFC's 2-2 draw at the San Jose Earthquakes, passing Carlos Vela for the club’s all-time MLS regular-season goals lead.

Bouanga has scored 79 goals in 127 MLS regular-season appearances, while Vela netted 78 times in 152 regular-season matches.

Bouanga was already LAFC's all-time leading scorer across all competitions and now has 122 goals during his Black & Gold career. That's compared to 93 goals for Vela, the club's first-ever Designated Player whose esteemed MLS career included 2019 MVP and Golden Boot presented by Audi honors.

A three-time MLS Best XI forward, Bouanga joined LAFC in August 2022 from French side Saint-Étienne. The DP forward helped win an MLS Cup-Supporters' Shield double in 2022 and is widely considered one of the league's most dangerous forwards.

Bouanga is the only player in MLS history to score 20 or more goals in three straight seasons. He's tallied a team-high 14 times this season and has seven matches left to hit the 20-goal mark yet again.

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