Denis Bouanga scored a second-half hat trick as Los Angeles FC defeated Alajuelense 3-0 in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 match Thursday at Alajuela, Costa Rica.

The game was scoreless less than two minutes into the second half when Ryan Hollingshead raced into the right side of Alajuelense’s penalty area and rolled the ball across the goalmouth. Bouanga tapped it in at the far post.

The second goal was more of the same in the 70th minute: Hollingshead’s cut-back from the right side found Bouanga, who again found an open net, this time from 8 yards out.

Bouanga completed the hat trick in style in the 89th minute. He dribbled into the left side of the penalty area and blasted a 12-yard shot past the goalie inside the far post.

LAFC finished with a 12-5 edge in shots on target. Los Angeles goalie John McCarthy was credited with five saves, while Alajuelense goalkeeper Leonel Moreira stopped nine shots.

The second leg of the two-game, total-goal series is scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.

–Field Level Media