As the Vancouver Whitecaps work toward becoming the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff spot, Los Angeles FC are intent on showing that they still are a playoff-worthy club.
The teams meet in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The Whitecaps (15-7-5, 50 points) returned to action from the international break on Tuesday and dropped a 3-1 road decision to the Chicago Fire. Vancouver’s only goal came in the 73rd minute on a header from Mathias Laborda.
By rebounding with a victory on Saturday — in addition to a loss or draw by any of the Colorado Rapids, Portland Timbers or Real Salt Lake — Vancouver would wrap up a playoff berth. Multiple clinching scenarios also exist with a Whitecaps draw.
“We need to be better connected as a team,” Whitecaps coach Jesper Sorensen said when looking forward to the LAFC contest. “We have to make sure that we get more from the team, that we are more connected, that we get some advantages going forward to some very interesting and exciting matches.”
Brian White leads the Whitecaps with 17 goals, while Thomas Muller has nine goals with a team-co-leading eight assists but will miss the Saturday match due to a hamstring injury. Midfielder Jeevan Badwal (hamstring) also is unavailable.
Vancouver is set to see midfielder Andres Cubas (Paraguay), defender Edier Ocampo (Colombia), defender Mihail Gherasimencov (Moldova) and midfielder Ralph Priso (Canada) all return from international duty.
LAFC (11-9-8, 41 points) went through some major changes during the break, firing first-year head coach Marc Dos Santos on Sept. 27 after the club won just twice over its last 13 matches across all competitions.
Dos Santos, who also was head coach of the Whitecaps from 2018-21, was replaced on an interim basis by Spain’s Xavi Tamarit, who was an assistant on the staff.
“What we want to improve is to give very simple but clear concepts in the tactical aspects and give clear roles for each player on the pitch to have a really clear idea and a really clear identity,” Tamarit said.
LAFC got off to a red-hot start this season, going 5-0-1, but in MLS play have won just once in the past 10 matches (1-4-5) despite the presence of Son Heung-Min (six goals, 13 assists), Denis Bouanga (14 goals, eight assists) and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (12 clean sheets).
“I think when you do the simple things very well, this is a strong team,” Tamarit said.
–Field Level Media
