Bonjour, Monsieur Leagues Cup.

In the short history of the joint venture between Major League Soccer and Liga MX, no player from either league has had more impact than Los Angeles Football Club winger Denis Bouanga.

In eight Leagues Cup matches, the 29-year-old French striker is the competition’s top scorer and key player, scoring eleven goals, providing six assists and contributing at least one or two goals in every game so far.

Bouanga’s next chance comes on Wednesday when a place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and participation in the Leagues Cup final against the Colorado Rapids are at stake.

The dynamic striker’s impressive play was on display again on Saturday in LAFC’s triumph in Seattle, when Bouanga surpassed Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi’s record for League Cup top scorer with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ second assist in three games.

Other players can wear down by playing games in quick succession, but the tournament schedule has emboldened Bouanga, whose relentless speed and power have troubled opponents since he arrived in MLS during the 2022 season, in which LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield and won the MLS Cup.

“He’s a complete attacker,” said LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo. “He has a goal-scoring mentality, which means he doesn’t stop until he scores. He just keeps going and going and going and that wears down defenders.”

Compared to the loss of Carlos Vela, who is entering as a free agent and was the franchise’s figurehead and leading playmaker for six years, Bouanga’s value in 2024 has increased even more significantly.

Bouanga has been involved in nearly half of LAFC’s 71 goals this year (21 goals, 14 assists), helping the team to a 21-5-6 record in all competitions.

Last year’s MLS Golden Boot winner is battling for the same honor in the current Leagues Cup. With his five goals, he is the tournament’s most successful player along with Tai Baribo of the Philadelphia Union.

Winger Cristian Olivera also played with Bouanga and scored four goals.

“I just want our team to win,” said Bouanga. “I hope one of us wins the Golden Boot. For both of us, it’s teamwork.”

On the other side of the bracket, Baribo’s Union will face the Columbus Crew for the right to host the Leagues Cup final or third place match.

On the way to this stage, LAFC has made the most of its opportunities, scoring the most goals in the competition with 14 goals and 11 assists.

Before a 3-0 win over Seattle, in which LAFC had seven of its 10 shots on target, all four of its tournament games were played at BMO Stadium. The club has suffered one loss in 20 games this year.

The Rapids are all too familiar with the rigors of playing at BMO Stadium.

Since joining MLS in 2018, LAFC has beaten Colorado at home, winning all six of their home games by an aggregate score of 18-2, including a clean sheet victory in late June in which Mateusz Bogusz scored his first career hat trick.

If LAFC can build on its previous performances, it will reach its fifth final in 2022 in addition to winning the MLS Cup, before suffering bitter decisions in the Champions League and Campeones Cup last year and winning the MLS title for the second year in a row.

“The scenario of a home semi-final match against a team we know is something I couldn’t wish for more,” said Cherundolo. “I also think it’s important that we have the right attitude from the first minute (on Wednesday) to not let this opportunity slip away and to take advantage of it.”

Despite a minus-two goal difference in five Leagues Cup games, beginning with a 4-0 loss to Portland in the group stage, the Rapids made it to the all-MLS Final Four with a penalty shootout win over Club América at Dignity Healthy Sports Park last weekend.

“We really enjoyed the trip,” said Colorado head coach Chris Armas, whose group served as a Cinderella fairytale throughout the tournament. “We packed our bags for the long trip and it was good.”

Cherundolo, full of confidence after knockout victories against three highly-touted Mexican teams, dismissed the notion that LAFC is the clear favorite to face the Rapids.