Denis Bouanga passes Carlos Vela for LAFC goals record | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

Denis Bouanga stands alone atop the LAFC goalscoring charts, moving past club legend Carlos Vela on Wednesday evening.

The Gabon international iced the Black & Gold’s 4-1 win at Real Salt Lake with an 88th-minute strike, racing behind the backline before finishing a breakaway.

Bouanga now has 94 goals in 144 matches (all competitions), surpassing Vela’s 93 goals in 186 matches (all competitions). The club icon, who retired earlier this year, assisted on eight of Bouanga’s goals with LAFC.

"I'm simply really happy to have surpassed Carlos' record and I'd like to thank the team for allowing me to do so," the three-time MLS All-Star said.

"I just wanted to say that's just the beginning. I'm planning on scoring way more."

Bouanga’s 19 goals position him third in this season's Golden Boot presented by Audi race, trailing Nashville SC striker Sam Surridge (21) and Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (20).

If Bouanga scores one more goal in LAFC’s final six matches, he will become the first player in MLS history to record three straight 20-goal seasons.

Bouanga, who won the 2023 Golden Boot, gets his next chance to make history on Sunday when LAFC host RSL (9 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+; FS1, FOX Deportes).

WATCH: Son, Bouanga make history for LAFC at RSL