olivier giroud

Emmanuel Sabbi scored on Vancouver’s only shot on goal, Yohei Takaoka made four saves and the Whitecaps spoiled Olivier Giroud’s farewell match with a 1-0 victory over LAFC on Sunday night.

Giroud started and played 60 minutes in his final appearance for LAFC. The famed French forward is expected to sign with Lille after one disappointing year in Los Angeles during which he was largely an unproductive substitute, scoring just five goals in 38 matches.

Giroud had a chance to go out with a bang when Denis Bouanga fed him an exceptional cross while he was unmarked deep in Vancouver’s penalty area in the 50th minute, but Giroud volleyed it over the bar.

Giroud still left the field to a standing ovation 10 minutes later, but LAFC failed to equalize without him in its first match back from a winless three-game stint at the Club World Cup.

LAFC scored one goal in the entire FIFA tournament, but still netted at least $9.5 million for earning the final spot in the field. Back in Los Angeles, its nine-match unbeaten run in league play ended with even more offensive frustration against Vancouver.

Takaoka secured his 10th clean sheet for the depleted Whitecaps, who won for just the second time in six matches while falling out of first place in the Western Conference. Vancouver doesn’t have key contributors Brian White, Jayden Nelson and Sebastian Berhalter due to Gold Cup international duty.

Sabbi scored in the 20th minute with an exceptional effort, starting a counterattack with a midfield steal before controlling Jeevan Badwal’s pass in midair on the run and scoring his first goal since April 12.

Backup goalkeeper David Ochoa made his first appearance for LAFC in place of Hugo Lloris, who got the day off after playing the entire Club World Cup.

Olivier Giroud is parting ways with LAFC after one disappointing year with the club.

The 38-year-old Giroud and LAFC announced the decision Friday on social media. He will play in his final match Sunday night at home against Vancouver.

After scoring only five goals in 37 matches for LAFC, Giroud will become a free agent after his departure. He is widely expected to join Lille, which finished fifth in the French league last season, on a free transfer.

“I want to thank all of the fans, my teammates and the staff at LAFC for making this an enjoyable stop in my career,” Giroud said in a statement. “I am happy to have played a part in the success of LAFC. From winning a trophy last season to participating in the Club World Cup, this has been a great experience in LA for me and my family.”

Giroud joined LAFC in July 2024 as a designated player after a long European career highlighted by prolific tenures with Arsenal and Chelsea. The top goal-scorer in the history of France’s national team was expected to provide dynamic offense alongside MLS stars and fellow Frenchmen Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris.

Instead, Giroud clearly struggled to adapt to the MLS game and to LAFC’s counter-attacking style under coach Steve Cherundolo. LAFC also failed to figure out ways to involve Giroud in the offense consistently, unable to provide service to one of the sport’s most dangerous finishers earlier in his career.

Giroud usually played as a substitute for LAFC, and he didn’t score his first MLS goal until last April 19. He did find the net in big moments, scoring in the U.S. Open Cup final last season and in the Leagues Cup final.

“Olivier has been an exemplary professional during his time at LAFC,” general manager John Thorrington said. “He brought humility and a winning mentality that helped elevate everyone around him. Olivier has been a tremendous ambassador for the club on and off the field. We are grateful for his contributions.”

LAFC is suddenly a team in full transition after a winless three-game run at the Club World Cup earlier this month. Cherundolo already has announced he will leave the club to move back to Germany after the season, and LAFC could be down to Bouanga as its only designated player by next month.

LAFC added Dutch winger Javairô Dilrosun on loan from Club América earlier this month, but the loan is only through July 24. Dilrosun replaced Cengiz Ünder, whose disappointing MLS tenure ended this month.

LAFC’s lengthy pursuit of Antoine Griezmann also came up fruitless earlier this month when the French star extended his contract with Atlético Madrid through 2027.

LAFC (7-4-5) still sits sixth in the Western Conference standings with two or three games in hand on every club above it, and it has an infusion of cash from beating América in a play-in match to reach the Club World Cup.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

CHELSEA have finally discovered their final Club World Cup opponent — thanks to a dramatic late winner created by one of their former stars.

The Conference League champions head to the US this summer to take part in the newly-expanded tournament.

4

Chelsea already knew they were going to be facing Brazilian side Flamengo and Tunisian team Esperance Sportive de Tunis in the group stage.

However, their third and final opponent remained unknown after Mexican outfit Club Leon were booted out due to Fifa’s multi-club ownership rules.

Fellow Liga MX side CF Pachuca — also owned by Grupo Pachuca — had already qualified for the Club World Cup, forcing Leon to withdraw.

And it meant that another Mexican side, Club America, were handed a dramatic playoff against MLS club LAFC.

The Americans were trailing 1-0 with just minutes to go when they equalised in the 89th minute.

LAFC then scored an amazing winner in the 115th minute through Denis Bouanga, with former Chelsea star and Champions League winner Olivier Giroud creating the goal for 2-1.

Now, the Frenchman will face his former side with LAFC in the opening group stage game on June 16.

Chelsea will then play Flamengo four days later on June 20.

BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS

And five days after that, on June 25, Chelsea end their group stage experience against Esperance.

The Club World Cup will be one of the most lucrative tournaments going, with the winner set to bank a mind-blowing £100million.

4

4

And Chelsea will be desperate to keep the good times rolling after ending a three-year trophy drought against Real Betis on Wednesday.

The Blues came back from a goal down to win 4-1 in Warsaw.

It came just days after they secured a fourth-place finish to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

And new signings are already inbound, with Chelsea reportedly beating Manchester United, Newcastle and Everton in the race for £30m Ipswich striker Liam Delap.

4

MONTREAL — Olivier Giroud and Mark Delgado each scored for LAFC on Saturday night in a 2-2 tie with CF Montreal.

Montreal scored multiple goals for the first time since a 3-2 loss to Atlanta in its season opener on Feb. 22.

Hugo Lloris stopped five shots for LAFC (6-4-5).

Giroud scored on a one-touch finish from point-blank range to make it 2-2 in the 77th minute.

In the fifth minute, Montreal’s Prince Owusu had his shot blocked but the loose ball rolled directly to Giacomo Vrioni, who held a defender on his hip before spinning and rolling a shot inside the right post for a goal. Owusu converted from the penalty spot in the 22nd to give Montreal a 2-0 lead.

Delgado put away a cross played in by Nathan Ordaz, blasting a one-touch shot from near the penalty spot that deflected off goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois into the net in the 38th minute.

Sirois finished with seven saves for Montreal (1-9-5).

Montreal rebounded from a 6-1 loss to Toronto last week.