Major League Soccer
·21 giugno 2025
LAFC fall to ES Tunis in Club World Cup

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·21 giugno 2025
By Ben Wright
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – LAFC were eliminated from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on Friday after losing their Group D match against Tunisian side ES Tunis, falling 1-0 at Nashville SC's GEODIS Park thanks to a second-half concession and a dramatic late penalty save.
LAFC thought they had scored twice in the opening 30 minutes, with Olivier Giroud and David Martínez hitting the back of the net. However, both goals were pulled back for offside.
ES Tunis saw a chance of their own overturned after Youcef Belaïli went down in the box. A penalty was initially awarded, but after Video Review, referee Espen Eskås reversed the decision and handed Belaïli a yellow card for simulation.
It was Belaïli who put the Tunisians ahead. Midway through the second half, the Algerian international picked up a ball on the edge of the box and finished smartly.
To add to the already palpable drama, LAFC earned a penalty kick deep into second-half stoppage time after Marlon was bundled over in the box. Goalkeeper Bechir Ben Saïd rose to the moment, denying Denis Bouanga's effort to give ES Tunis their first win of the tournament.