LAFC’s journey in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup came to an end on Friday, as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Tunisian side ES Tunis at Nashville SC’s GEODIS Park. The turning point of the match came in the second half, where a late penalty save played a crucial role in the outcome.
After suffering a defeat in their opening match against the Brazilian team Flamengo, ES Tunis bounced back with a win over the MLS side on Friday, reigniting their chances in the tournament.
In the first half, LAFC had two goals disallowed within the opening 30 minutes, as both Olivier Giroud and David Martínez found the back of the net but were ruled offside.
ES Tunis had their close call when Youcef Belaïli was brought down in the box, initially earning a penalty. However, after a review by Video Assistant Referee (VAR), referee Espen Eskås changed the decision, issuing a yellow card to Belaïli for simulation instead.
Belaïli later turned the tide for the Tunisians, scoring midway through the second half with a well-placed finish from the edge of the box.
As the match approached its climax, LAFC earned a lifeline in the form of a penalty kick deep into stoppage time when Marlon was knocked over in the area. However, goalkeeper Bechir Ben Saïd stood tall and denied Denis Bouanga’s attempt, securing ES Tunis their first win of the tournament.
