Denis Bouanga honors late Gabon teammate Aaron Boupendza with celebration | OneFootball

The FC Cincinnati community has felt the impact of the unexpected death this week of former striker Aaron Boupendza, who spent portions of two seasons with the MLS club.

So has LAFC star and Gabon international Denis Bouanga.

After scoring his 90th-minute equalizer from the penalty spot in a 3-3 draw at the Portland Timbers on Saturday night, Bounanga lifted his shirt to reveal the message "R.I.P. Aaron Boupendza" on his undershirt in memory of his former international teammate.

Bouanga has been a consistent fixture for Gabon, and while Boupendza hadn't appeared recently for his national team, he was a regular part of the program until 2023.

Both players featured prominently for the 2021 squad that reached the African Cup of Nations round of 16. That was only the second time Gabon had advanced past the group stage of the tournament and the first time since 1998.

Boupendza had good start in China

Boupendza died this week at age 28 when he fell from his 11th-story apartment in China, where he had recently joined Zhejiang of the Chinese Super League.

His inconsistent goal-scoring form in Cincinnati and then at Rapid Bucuresti in Romania may have taken him out of the Gabon picture, but his form in China looked to be a potential road back after he scored four times in his first six league games.

Led by former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon currently sits second in Group F of 2026 African World Cup Qualifying, two points back of leaders Ivory Coast with four matches to play. Competition resumes in September, with Gabon set to host Ivory Coast in the second match of the September window.

Bouanga leads Gabon with five goals in qualifying, while Aubameyang and Jim Allevinah have three each.