‘I came here to win trophies’: Olivier Giroud leads LAFC to US Open Cup win

Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris reached the pinnacle of soccer’s mountaintop by helping France win the 2018 World Cup. On Wednesday night, they said they celebrated just the same after helping Los Angeles Football Club take home the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in extra time.

Giroud and Lloris were just as surprised to be feeling the same emotion, but adding another trophy can do that.

“It is different when you have to play in a final. You just go for it. I’m really proud of the team,” said Giroud, who opened the scoring in the second half.

It is the 12th major trophy of Giroud’s career, who will turn 38 on Monday. Lloris joined LAFC this season, becoming the first World Cup winner to play for the club. Later during the MLS midseason break, Giroud joined the club on a free transfer from Milan, reuniting with his former international teammate.

“I came here to play finals and win trophies,” Giroud said after the game.

Omar Campos and Kei Kamara scored in extra time to give LAFC their fourth trophy since the franchise was founded in 2018. The club won Major League Soccer’s Supporters Shield as the top club in the regular season in 2019 and 2022, and beat the Philadelphia Union on penalties to win the MLS Cup in 2022.

LAFC’s first appearance in the Open Cup championship snapped a run of four straight title matches across various competitions without a victory. It was the 109th Open Cup, America’s oldest national soccer competition.

“A trophy is a trophy. It means a lot for the club and we celebrated with the fans because they deserved it as well,” said Lloris, who made four saves. “It helps gives us a boost for the end of the season.”

By advancing to the finals of the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup, LAFC is on pace to play 46 matches this season before the MLS playoffs roll around. Last season, the club played 53 gams, including advancing to the final of the Concacaf Champions League and MLS Cup.

“We’re happy to win. We were due,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “The boys made it difficult on themselves. They understood the job and got it done.”

Erik Thommy scored for Sporting KC, who have won four previous Open Cup finals, the last in 2017. Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia made three saves that helped keep the game scoreless in the first half.

“I’m proud of the team,” coach Peter Vermes said. “The 3-1 score doesn’t reflect what happened. Maybe playing at home worked in their favor.”

Giroud broke through for LAFC in the 53rd minute, catching Melia out of the goal and beating two defenders. It was Giroud’s second goal in 10 matches for LAFC. His other goal came in the Leagues Cup final loss to Columbus Crew.

Thommy tied it up in the 60th with a blast inside the near post off a cross from Dániel Sallói.

Campos, a second-half substitute, scored in the 102nd from the edge of the box for his first goal for LAFC. Kamara, the second-leading goal-scorer in MLS history, added an insurance goal with a header in the 109th minute, ceiling his second US Open Cup medal.

“It’s amazing. For me the Open Cup, we look at the big leagues but it is the FA Cup of our America,” Kamara said. “You get to play in these crazy games against teams that would never get the chance to play against top MLS teams unless it is the preseason.”

LAFC is fourth in the Western Conference going into the home stretch of the MLS regular season. Sporting KC will not qualify for the playoffs.

“We don’t want to stop with this trophy,” Giroud said. “We know we want to finish the season strong, qualify for the playoffs and go as far as we can.”