LOS ANGELES – Some victories are different.

For the Los Angeles Football Club, Wednesday night’s 4-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at BMO Stadium was of particular importance for the team’s immediate and long-term plans.

Powered by goalscorers Mateusz Bogusz, Kei Kamara, Dénis Bouanga and Lewis O’Brien, LAFC advanced to the Leagues Cup final, which takes place on Sunday at Lower.com Field and represents a rematch of the 2023 MLS Cup title match lost to the Columbus Crew.

The Black and Golds also secured their third participation in the CONCACAF club competition, the renamed Champions Cup, and thus secured one of the three starting spots in the continental competition that were up for grabs when the joint competition between MLS and Liga MX began on July 26.

“This is the highlight. A goal for the club and for me,” said Bouanga, who is the Leagues Cup’s all-time top scorer with 12 goals.

LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo described qualifying for CONCACAF as the club’s top priority.

Their sixth game of the tournament in front of 15,953 spectators almost got off to a lightning start, but Rapids goalkeeper and American international Zach Steffen parried a shot from Bouanga before using one arm to block a rebound from Kamara in the third minute.

The Rapids were the Cinderella story of the Leagues Cup, beating three top Mexican teams in consecutive knockout matches to reach the semifinal round, culminating in a dramatic penalty shootout against top-ranked Club América in the quarterfinals in Carson, where they remained scoreless until late in the first half.

In the 42nd minute, Bogusz took a direct shot after a pass from defender Jesus Murillo, which landed at the far post, out of Steffen’s reach.

Three minutes later, Kamara had a direct shot as defender Ryan Hollingshead waited patiently to deliver a simple cross as the striker entered the box.

Kamara was replaced at halftime by French center Olivier Giroud, making his earliest appearance since joining LAFC this month.