LAFC limps toward World Cup break after loss to Dynamo

LOS ANGELES — The FIFA World Cup break can’t come soon enough for the Los Angeles Football Club.

Limping into the May 25th pause in play for Major League Soccer after exiting the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday, LAFC returned to BMO Stadium in search of some nurturing love from their supporters on Mother’s Day.

The visiting Houston Dynamo had something else in mind, taking a lopsided 4-1 victory to return the favor following LAFC’s road win at Shell Energy Stadium at the end of February.

Winning five of its last six games across all competitions entering Sunday, including a trio of 1-0 MLS wins, the Dynamo, which entered the weekend with the fourth fewest goals in MLS, scored twice in just over half an hour to secure an advantage it did not relinquish.

In the 25th minute, left-footed American midfielder Jack McGlynn’s perfect one-time shot from outside the box landed in the upper 90 at the far post for his first goal of the season.

That was Houston’s first shot on goal in the opening half. Their second, off a free kick in the 34th minute after referee Drew Fischer whistled LAFC’s Stephen Eustáquio for a foul just outside the 18, made it 2-0.

Fischer and Eustáquio were familiar with each other following an encounter at BMO Stadium on March 7, when the Canadian referee bumped into his countryman, leading to a leg injury that forced the LAFC midfielder to miss a month and a half.

This time, their interaction preceded Brazilian attacker Guilherme’s free kick that glanced past Hugo Lloris off Mark Delgado’s left foot.

Fatigued and disjointed, LAFC (6-3-3, 21 points) continued to struggle, particularly in opening halves. Without a shot on target to that point in the match, LAFC found momentary life just before halftime when Nathan Ordaz, starting in place of Denis Bouanga, who was suspended due to yellow card accumulation, finished a cross from Jacob Shaffelburg that was helped along by Eustáquio.

Whatever hope LAFC had coming out of the locker room quickly disappeared as Houston (6-5-0, 18 points) iced the match early in the second half.

Former LAFC forward Mateusz Bogusz scored his first against his old club, collecting a rebound off his own shot in the box by beating Eddie Segura to the ball and rolling his second attempt into the back of the net.

McGlynn’s brace then stomped on any hint of a competitive contest.

Adding to his ledger against LAFC, including a game-winner in April 2025 for his first goal as a Dynamo player, McGlynn’s 55th-minute finish came with enough time and space in the box to pick out the far corner.

A weary LAFC now departs for an extended road trip, first to St. Louis Wednesday, followed Saturday at Nashville, before hosting Seattle, leading into a pause in games through mid-July.