Los Angeles FC and Club America are set to clash on Saturday in a crucial one-match playoff with a coveted spot in the FIFA Club World Cup at stake. This sudden playoff was established by FIFA after Club Leon was disqualified from the tournament due to regulations regarding multi-club ownership. The winner will join Chelsea, Flamengo, and Esperance Sportive de Tunis in Group D.
LAFC earned their place in this playoff as the runners-up of the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, losing the final to the now-disqualified Club Leon. Club America, on the other hand, was selected based on their current top ranking within FIFA`s Club World Cup confederations list. The match promises to be a tense battle at BMO Stadium, where a sell-out crowd is expected to provide strong support for the home side, the Black and Gold. With Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders already representing MLS, and Monterrey and CF Pachuca representing Liga MX, this game will decide whether MLS or Liga MX secures a third team in the prestigious tournament.
Date: Saturday, May 31 | Time: 10:30 p.m. ET | Location: BMO Stadium — Los Angeles, California
Recent Meeting
The teams last met in a preseason friendly in February, where LAFC secured a 2-1 victory. Denis Bouanga, a key player for LAFC, scored in that match and will be crucial if they are to reach the Club World Cup. Although a friendly, both teams fielded strong lineups. Historically, LAFC has performed well against Liga MX opponents, holding a record of five wins, five draws, and only one loss. Their previous competitive encounter with Club America in the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2020 saw LAFC win 3-1.
Predicted Lineups
LAFC: Hugo Lloris, Ryan Hollingshead, Aaron Long, Eddie Segura, Sergi Palencia, Marco Delgado, Igor Jesus, Frankie AMaya, Denis Bouanga, Oliver Giroud, Nathan Ordaz
Club America: Luis Malagon, Cristian Borja, Sebastian Caceres, Ramon Juarez, Israel Reyes, Kevin ALvarez, Alvaro Fildalgo, Jonathan Dos Santos, Erick Sanchez, Henry Martin, Alex Zendejas
Player to Watch
Denis Bouanga, LAFC: Club America will undoubtedly prioritize neutralizing Denis Bouanga, as containing him significantly increases their chances of victory. However, achieving this is a formidable challenge, given Bouanga`s impressive record of 48 regular season goals in just 84 appearances for LAFC. He has also proven to be a clutch performer, scoring eight goals in 12 playoff matches. America`s focus on marking Bouanga might, paradoxically, create opportunities for other LAFC attackers. Playing at home, with enthusiastic fan support, LAFC`s overall performance could receive a boost, though Bouanga will remain the primary focus.
Storyline to Watch
Impact of Steve Cherundolo`s Departure: A significant factor is the recent announcement that head coach Steve Cherundolo will step down at the end of the current season. This news came as a surprise across MLS. LAFC`s recent form has been inconsistent; they struggled in their last outing, a 2-2 draw against CF Montreal, and are currently sixth in the Western Conference, not quite meeting earlier expectations. While the team has shown capability in attack, defensive balance has been a notable weakness. Facing Club America`s potent attack, led by players like Henry Martin, who can challenge Concacaf`s top defenses, LAFC must be defensively sharp. Though LAFC won MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup under Cherundolo, this playoff represents one of the highest-stakes matches he`ll oversee, even without a trophy immediately on the line.
Our Prediction
We predict Denis Bouanga`s impact will be decisive, powering LAFC to secure their spot in the Club World Cup. Having recently lost the Liga MX Clausura final, Club America is having a somewhat disappointing season, and we don`t see them reversing their fortunes here. This match offers coach Steve Cherundolo a chance to end his tenure with LAFC on a high note by leading the team to the Club World Cup.
Our Pick: LAFC 2, Club America 1
