LAFC to meet Chelsea in Club World Cup

Denis Bouanga grabbed a dramatic extra-time winner to send Los Angeles FC into the Club World Cup with a 2-1 (extra-time) win over Mexico's Club America on Saturday.

The team from Mexico City looked to have booked their place - and the guaranteed $9.5 million (£8m) participation reward - after a penalty from former LAFC player Brian Rodriguez in the 64th minute.

But Brazilian Igor Jesus's 89th minute header for LAFC took the game into extra-time and five minutes from the end of the second period Bouanga drilled home the dramatic winner.

It was a game with high stakes played in front of a boisterous crowd divided between the two teams and the tension was palpable from the outset.

But it was the Californian club, who only began life in MLS seven years ago, who triumphed and earned a spot in the first edition of the expanded 32-team FIFA tournament.

LAFC will line up in Group D of the Club World Cup, where they will face Premier League side Chelsea, Brazil's Flamengo and Esperance Tunis of Tunisia in the tournament which gets under way on June 14.

The one-off 'play-in' match came about following FIFA's decision to ban Mexican club Leon from the tournament.

Leon were barred because the club is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also controls Liga MX side Pachuca, who are also taking part in the tournament.