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A banner placed in the LAFC supporter section is pictured prior to the start of an MLS match between the Los Angeles FC and Sporting Kansas City at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
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A banner placed in the LAFC supporter section is pictured prior to the start of an MLS match between the Los Angeles FC and Sporting Kansas City at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Los Angeles FC won 3-1. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
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LOS ANGELES — The supporters section at the North End of BMO Stadium was loud Sunday even though the steeply-banked area sat silent.
Before members of the Los Angeles Football Club’s independent supporters group, the “3252,” took their spots prior to the team’s 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City, six rows had been blocked off smack dab in the middle of the area where a vibrant cross-section of Los Angelenos have gathered to cheer, sing and jump for LAFC in the heart of the city since 2018.
Their message was laid out in large white letters printed against a black background: “Abolish ICE.”
Reacting to federal law enforcement’s show of force across the region in recent days, LAFC supporters reiterated their position by not saying much at all and watching in silent protest, except for a couple moments deep in the second half, when they intoned their displeasure with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Then, in stoppage time, they chanted “L.A., Black and Gold. This is Los Angeles, ah-woo, ah-woo, ah-woo.”
Otherwise, homemade signs did the talking for them throughout the 90-minute Major League Soccer match.
“No ICE in LA.”
“We stand with our immigrant community.”
“Immigrants are the heartbeat of Los Angeles.”
A color drawing of three people wearing hazmat suits taking blowtorches to a block of ice was placed a couple rows above Mexican and American flags that were bookended by a peace sign.
Whenever camera operators inside the stadium captured the sentiments, the crowd outside the supporters’ section offered its clear support.
Making a pre-match statement on social media, LAFC also expressed itself.
“LAFC believes that the true strength of our community comes from the people and cultures that make up the tapestry of this beautiful and diverse city,” the club said. “Today, when so many in our city are feeling fear and uncertainty, LAFC stands shoulder to shoulder with all members of our community.”
All the while, the competitive soccer match in front of an announced crowd of 17,031 — some 5,000 below capacity — felt more like a scrimmage at times.
Kansas City assumed the lead approaching halftime. A give-and-go around LAFC defender Eddie Segura in the 39th minute set up former Galaxy forward Dejan Jovelijic for his 10th goal of the season.
Making his 99th start with LAFC, Segura redeemed himself a minute into stoppage time when the Colombian center back nailed a picture-perfect header off a Denis Bouanga corner kick
One week after scoring the game-winner in LAFC’s Club World Cup clinching performance against Club América — a night the supporters and the city put the full force of its Black & Gold support on display — Bouanga was yet again the best player on the field.
Once again, the French attacker rampaged up and down the field, repeatedly dribbling deep into the Kansas City box or firing hard crosses at dangerous areas.
Bouanga achieved what he was looking for in the 57th minute by splitting a pair of defenders and taking a foul in the box. His converted penalty gave him eight MLS goals this year.
LAFC (7-4-5, 26 points) pushed for a third and dominated SKC (4-9-4, 16 points) until locking down the game when Olivier Giroud, a second-half substitute for Jeremy Ebobisse, finished a gorgeous counterattack that came on Bouanga’s second assist of the night, good for five this year.
Now unbeaten in 10 matches going back to April 9, LAFC heads to the Club World Cup in top form. They meet Chelsea FC in Atlanta to start the group stage on June 16, followed by ES Tunis in Nashville on June 20, and Flamengo in Orlando on June 24.
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