Sports

LAFC treats U.S. Open Cup like a top prize as it reaches semifinals

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2024

LAFC treats U.S. Open Cup like a top prize as it reaches semifinals

Last season the U.S. Open Cup was little more than an afterthought for LAFC, when the club thought about the tournament at all.

The team’s run to the final of last spring’s CONCACAF Champions League, combined with the start of the MLS schedule, meant LAFC played a game every four days through the first three months of the season. By the end of the year, the team had played an MLS-record 53 games in four countries and two continents, traveling far enough to circumnavigate the globe 2½ times.

There was simply no room for the U.S. Open Cup. But that’s not the case this season; with Wednesday’s 3-1 win over New Mexico United sending LAFC on to next month’s semifinals of a tournament, it’s suddenly being taken very seriously.

“I wouldn’t say that we prioritize certain competitions. It’s really just kind of when do you need to rest, guys? When can you rotate?” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Last season it just wasn’t physically possible to push the guys for another game.

“That’s different 1720717715.”

Is it ever. Last season Cherundolo used teenagers from the club’s MLS Next Pro team in LAFC’s two-game Open Cup run. On Wednesday, he started four current or former MLS all-stars, including Denis Bouanga, the league’s reigning Golden Boot winner; Kei Kamara, the second-leading scorer in league history; and Hugo Lloris, who has started more World Cup games — including the last two finals — than any goalkeeper in history.

The goals came from Timothy Tillman, David Martínez and Mateusz Bogusz, extending LAFC’s unbeaten streak in all competition to 13 games and sending it on to next month’s tournament semifinals against the Seattle Sounders.

It was an effort that was more blue collar than blue ribbon.

“Our objective was to advance and we did that,” Cherundolo said. “I think we jumped just as high as we needed to. Tonight, we just cleared the bar, which is OK.

“We checked all the boxes, so I’m happy with that. And that we advanced. But certainly we can play better.”

This will mark LAFC’s second trip to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals; the first came in 2018, the team’s inaugural season, when it lost on penalties to eventual champion Houston.

And the reason the team is all in on the Open Cup this season is the same reason it tapped out early last year — the schedule. Without the stress and travel of the CONCACAF tournament and with the start of Leagues Cup, the other in-season North American tournament, more than two weeks away, LAFC has played just 24 times in 20 weeks this year. Players who were gassed at this point last summer are relatively fresh now.

Plus the Open Cup provides the easiest way back to the CONCACAF championship (now called the CONCACAF Champions Cup), the region’s most prestigious club competition. Win the tournament and LAFC qualifies for next winter’s Champions Cup, gets a check for $300,000 and wins a trophy.

That last point is also important for a team hungry for some hardware. LAFC has gone empty-handed since winning the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in 2022, playing for six trophies last season but winning none.

“The Open Cup is very important for us this year,” Tillman said.

The team could also grab a Champions Cup invitation by winning MLS Cup, placing in the top three in the MLS Supporters’ Shield, finishing atop the Western Conference table or by finishing in the top three in the Leagues Cup. But with new rules limiting the Open Cup field to just eight MLS teams, five of which have already been eliminated, this tournament offers the path of least resistance.

Then there’s also the long history associated with the Open Cup, the oldest national soccer tournament in the U.S. and one of dozens of domestic cup competitions held around the world.

“The Cup is very important in every single country,” continued Tillman, who grew up in Germany and played five games in the DFB-Pokal, that country’s domestic cup competition. “It’s an opportunity to win a trophy in just a couple of games. So if you focus on the right things at the right moment, there’s a chance of winning a trophy.

“It’s single elimination, so whoever plays better on that day is going to go through.”

On this day that was clearly LAFC. But then what else is new? The team hasn’t lost since May 4, shares the top spot in the MLS Western Conference standings and is unbeaten at home. It is also chasing a second Supporters’ Shield in three seasons and a third straight appearance in the MLS Cup final, something that hasn’t been done in 17 years.

But it needs just two more U.S. Open Cup wins to get back to the Champions Cup. And this time it’s taking those games seriously.

Sports

Charles Barkley scolds sports fans for getting wrapped up in Olympic hockey frenzy

Published

8 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Charles Barkley scolds sports fans for getting wrapped up in Olympic hockey frenzy

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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.

Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”

Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.

“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”

Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.

The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)

“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”

The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.

“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.

Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Prep talk: Birmingham’s Slava Shahbazyan celebrates winning state wrestling title

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Prep talk: Birmingham’s Slava Shahbazyan celebrates winning state wrestling title

Three years ago, as a 14-year-old freshman, Slava Shahbazyan made it to Bakersfield for the state wrestling championships.

“It was good to get experience that young,” he said.

Then came Saturday night when he had a breakthrough moment, winning the state 165-pound championship as a 17-year-old senior for Birmingham High.

“It means everything to me,” he said. “It took four years.”

Shahbazyan, who transferred from Chaminade after his sophomore year, is set to attend Stanford and still in the hunt to be valedictorian at Birmingham. Coach Jimmy Medeiros said he was close to winning last season before finishing fourth.

“He got a lot better,” Medeiros said.

Shahbazyan has been wrestling since he was 8. “My father loves wrestling,” he said.

Two St. John Bosco wrestlers, Jesse Grajeda at 144 pounds and Michael Romero at 150 pounds, also won state titles.

Here’s the link to complete results.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Sports

Deion Sanders mourns loss of Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder: ‘One of my favorites’

Published

20 hours ago

March 1, 2026

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Deion Sanders mourns loss of Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder: ‘One of my favorites’

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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died this weekend, the team’s head coach Deion Sanders confirmed on Sunday with a social media post.

“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”

Ponder was 23 years old.

Details of Ponder’s death are not yet known.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)

Ponder, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller, joined the Buffaloes and “Coach Prime’s” program in 2024 after spending time at Bethune-Cookman before making his way to Boulder.

Last season, Ponder played just two games for the Buffaloes while serving in his backup role. He recorded two rush attempts and one pass attempt.

The Opa Locka, Fla., native also received tribute from a fellow quarterback with the Buffaloes, Colton Allen.

Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

Ponder was going to be a part of Colorado’s spring practices, which are set to begin on Monday. It’s unknown if Sanders will postpone the start due to Ponder’s passing.

Ponder also received a tribute from the University of Central Florida.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (Tyler Tate/AP Photo)

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“Our prayers are with Dominiq and the Ponder family along with all in the Colorado football program,” the university’s football account on X wrote.

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