CONCACAF Champions Cup: Bouanga scores hat-trick as LAFC dominates in Honduras

Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC left Honduras with a massive first leg advantage after Denis Bouanga’s hat-trick led the Californial club to a 6-1 victory over Real España in San Pedro Sula late Tuesday evening.

Highlights 🎥 Real España vs LAFC | Concacaf Champions Cup 2026 | Round One, Leg 1 pic.twitter.com/pZQXpy2Hv8

— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 18, 2026

Usually, a trip to Central America is a difficult test for clubs from the United States but the growing gap between the big budget of the American top flight and its CONCACAF peers south of Mexico was on full display. Bouanga scored twice in the first half while Korean superstar Son Heung-Min provided a penalty kick and three assists.

The Estadio Francisco Morazán was packed with supporters hoping for a firm challenge from the home side but the match and First Round tie was effectively over by halftime.

Jack Jean-Baptiste pulled a goal back for Real España early in the second half but Bouanga completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute to restore the five-goal advantage. It was LAFC’s first competitive match of the 2026 campaign with Major League Soccer’s regular season set to kickoff this upcoming weekend.

The two teams will meet again in Los Angeles next Tuesday. The second leg hosts are likely to secure qualification for the Round of 16 where Costa Rican club Alajuelense await the winner.