Tuesday night couldn't have gone much better for LAFC.
Not only did they run riot over San Jose Earthquakes, winning 4-1 in their Leagues Cup Round-of-16 clash, but striker Olivier Giroud made his first appearance for the Black & Gold.
"I think there certainly is an evolution in the group," said head coach Steve Cherundolo afterwards. "We had a mediocre start to the season away from home, very poor performances and results.
"But what we talked about in that phase, they were all self-induced. We knew we had the tools and to fix the problem... It's an okay problem to have as long as you have the solutions to fix it in the locker room."
"Part of a family"
One of those solutions? Adding the all-time leading scorer for the French national team. Officially announced as a Designated Player on May 14, the former Arsenal, Chelsea and AC Milan star made his long-awaited debut in the 71st minute, playing the final 20 minutes.
"I was looking forward to playing on this pitch in front of this crowd, this amazing crowd, and in front of my family and my friends," Giroud told reporters after the match. "I received a very warm welcome from everybody at the club, the staff, the players...
"I felt like I was welcome, like part of a family, you know, and I wish I could play even more tonight, but obviously it's better to restart step by step. I felt very good on the pitch and I'm looking forward for the next game."
With a quarterfinal matchup against Seattle Sounders FC looming at Lumen Field, Giroud and Cherundolo said playing on artificial turf shouldn't be a concern for the 37-year-old, who is eager to get more minutes under his belt.
"Minutes in a real game are not replicable in training," Cherundolo pointed out. "We need to use the games for him to find his optimal fitness again, and it's just a matter of time.
"So this was one more step. He knows where to be and where to go... We've seen it in training already. He's going to score goals."
While the on-field pieces may take time to fall into place, the off-field aspects of playing in MLS and living in Los Angeles were instantly obvious to Giroud and his family. Celebrating on the field with his four children was an immediate hit for the striker.
"I love it. Because in Europe it's a bit different. Sometimes we can bring the kids in a dressing room, but it's not common to have them on a pitch to celebrate with them," Giroud said. "So yeah, the alchemy with all the kids as a player and the crowd, the fans, it's such a great feeling. It makes you understand that you arrive in a proper family.
"It's the life I was looking for and I'm very happy," he added. "You can see in my smile."
