How it happened
Denis Bouanga decided this one. The Los Angeles FC forward scored twice in the second half and finished with a match rating of 9.9, the highest on the pitch.
Nothing separated the sides at the break, with the score 0-0. Bouanga broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. Austin FC answered in the 66th through Brandon Vázquez, but the reply lasted one minute. Bouanga scored again in the 67th, and Son Heung-min made it 3-1 in the 72nd.
That was three goals in 20 minutes after a first half in which neither side scored. Austin did not find a second.
The numbers
The scoreline was closer than the chances. Los Angeles FC had 28 shots to Austin's 14, and 11 of them were on target against four. Their expected goals total was 4.37 against 0.63, and they won seven corners to five.
Austin held 60% of the ball to LAFC's 40%, but it brought little threat. Stuver, the visitors' goalkeeper, made eight saves and earned a rating of 6.8. Without them the margin could have been far wider.
Bouanga's expected goals figure was 1.98, so his two goals matched the quality of his chances. He also had one key pass and 34 touches. Son was substituted after 78 minutes with a goal, two assists and five key passes, for a rating of 8.3. Vázquez, who scored Austin's goal, had a rating of 7.8 from an expected goals value of 0.17.
What it means
Los Angeles FC have 45 points from 30 games and stand 10th, with a goal difference of plus 15. Their expected goals for (42.5) sit above their actual goals (47) by a small margin, and they have conceded 32 against an expected 37.
Austin are 27th on 31 points from 29 games, with a goal difference of minus 17. They have conceded 54 goals against an expected 59.2, and their attack has produced 37 goals from 28.3 expected.
The sides had drawn three of their previous 15 meetings, and those games averaged 2.73 goals. This one produced four.