Kei Kamara passes Landon Donovan’s MLS goals mark as LAFC routs San José
Kei Kamara scored in the first half to pass Landon Donovan for the second-most goals in MLS history, and Mateusz Bogusz scored two goals in LAFC’s 6-2 victory over the San José Earthquakes on Saturday night at BMO Stadium.
Bogusz, Denis Bouanga, Kamara and Ryan Hollingshead scored in an overwhelming first half for LAFC, which is unbeaten in 10 consecutive matches across all competitions. Hollingshead also had three assists, and Bouanga had two.
Bogusz scored again shortly after halftime for LAFC, which is unbeaten in eight straight MLS matches to move even with the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake atop the Western Conference standings with 37 points apiece. LAFC has one game in hand.
Tomás Ángel added his first MLS goal in the final minutes for LAFC.
It has been 25 years since Brandi Chastain’s iconic World Cup moment. Now an owner of Bay FC, Chastain is representative of the progress that has been made.
Rodrigues and Benjamin Kikanovic scored for the MLS-worst Quakes, who have lost four straight. San José is winless in eight consecutive matches across all competitions since May 11.
LAFC was already ahead 2-0 in the 33rd minute when Kamara rose above the San José defense to head home the 146th goal of his MLS career, surpassing Donovan’s career total. LAFC is the 11th MLS club for the 39-year-old Kamara, who arrived in Los Angeles in March and has now scored goals in back-to-back games.
Kamara emigrated to the U.S. from Sierra Leone as a teenager, eventually settling in Hawthorne and attending Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Quakes are one of Kamara’s 10 former MLS teams after a 12-game stay in 2008.
Only former San José forward Chris Wondolowski (171) has scored more MLS goals.
LAFC scored four times in 10 shots during the first half, showing off the back-to-back Western Conference champions’ potency on offense even before the anticipated arrival of French scoring star Olivier Giroud next month.
LAFC went ahead in the 15th minute when Sergi Palencia walked in on the right side and delivered a picture-perfect cross to Bogusz. The 22-year-old Polish attacker headed it home for the eighth goal of his breakout MLS season, including four goals in six games.
Bouanga doubled the lead in the 26th minute with a straightforward attack, turning the Quakes’ defenders into pretzels before slotting home his 13th goal of the season and his fifth in five matches. The French-born Gabon striker is back on the remarkable pace he set last season, when he scored 20 goals in 31 matches to win MLS’ Golden Boot.
LAFC went up 4-0 in the 42nd minute when Hollingshead’s long strike from the back ricocheted in through traffic.
Mike Magee reached out to ex-Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan to get an answer to the question on everyone’s mind: What was up with his hair during Euro 2024 coverage?
Bogusz appeared to score yet another goal in first-half injury time but was ruled offside. Moments later, Rodrigues caught LAFC’s defense napping for his fourth goal.
Bogusz still got his second goal shortly after halftime, converting a cross from Bouanga for his second brace of the season and his MLS career.
Ángel came on as a late substitute, and the 21-year-old Colombian forward quickly drove home his first goal in his fourth match for LAFC.
