Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Major League Soccer clash between Los Angeles FC and Vancouver Whitecaps, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
In a rematch from the opening round of the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs, the Vancouver Whitecaps begin a three-game road trip in league play by travelling to BMO Stadium for a date with Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
A 3-1 defeat at the San Jose Earthquakes dropped the Black and Gold into seventh in the Western Conference, three points below the Caps, who played to a 0-0 draw with Austin FC.
Match preview
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The 2024 campaign has been filled with ups and downs for Los Angeles, who have come away with all three points in just one of their last four MLS fixtures.
At the same time, their defeat to the Quakes was just their first in this competition since late March (3-2 loss to the Colorado Rapids), as they failed to score multiple goals for the first time since the middle of March (2-0 defeat at Minnesota United).
Their defeat in San Jose was the first time in three MLS encounters that Steve Cherundolo‘s side had failed to collect a single point when conceding the opening goal.
LAFC have yet to suffer a defeat domestically in front of their home fans this year, collecting 14 out of a possible 18 points at BMO Stadium.
To this stage of the 2024 MLS campaign, the Black and Gold have looked out of sorts and unbalanced defensively, conceding nearly half as many goals in 11 matches this year (19) as they had in the entire 2023 regular season (39).
The Black and Gold suffered just one defeat in their six matches played across all competitions versus Vancouver last year, advancing from their opening-round playoff series against them two games to none.
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A record crowd of over 32,000 were on hand last Saturday to witness what proved to be a disappointing display from the typically entertaining Whitecaps.
It was the 50th-anniversary match for the club, and even with over 110 former players in attendance, the 2024 version of this side could not overcome a stubborn Verde and Black side who seemed intent on claiming just a single point
That was the first time in MLS this season that Vanni Sartini‘s men had failed to find the back of the net, ending a run of 10 successive matches with at least one goal in the regular season.
Vancouver have given their travelling supporters plenty to cheer about away from home in 2024, going unbeaten in four MLS road fixtures, emerging victorious on three of those occasions.
Another victory on Saturday would match their total for away wins from the 2023 regular season, while a win or draw would extend their unbeaten MLS run outside of BC Place to five games, the longest for this club since 2021 (seven).
Saturday will be their 10th visit to BMO Stadium in all competitions, with Vancouver coming away with all three points in only one of those instances, claiming a 3-2 triumph last season.
Los Angeles FC Major League Soccer form:
Los Angeles FC form (all competitions):
Vancouver Whitecaps Major League Soccer form:
Vancouver Whitecaps form (all competitions):
Team News
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Aaron Long is back training with LAFC but was an unused substitute in the defeat versus San Jose, David Martinez will be doubtful due to a sore back and Lorenzo Dellavalle is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Four players who began their match versus the Quakes maintained their place in the starting 11 on Wednesday when they defeated the Las Vegas Lights at the US Open Cup (3-1), including Sergi Palencia, Timothy Tillman, Eduard Atuesta and Denis Bouanga.
Cristian Olivera has a goal involvement in consecutive MLS games, netting the only goal last weekend, while Bouanga has scored seven times across all competitions against the Caps, all of which occurred last season.
Damir Kreilach missed the previous encounter for the Whitecaps because of a sore ankle, while Sam Adekugbe was taken off in the latter stages of the opening half with an apparent knock, and his status is up in the air for Saturday.
Alessandro Schopf was back in the starting 11 against Austin after missing their match versus the New York Red Bulls and Bjorn Inge Utvik has started two of their last three games, replacing Mathias Laborda in the back three last weekend.
Yohei Takaoka recorded his fourth clean sheet of the season last Saturday, stopping just one Austin shot, Brian White has three goals in his career against LAFC as he, Ryan Gauld and Ranko Veselinovic found the mark in their victory at BMO Stadium last season.
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Palencia, Murillo, Chanot, Hollingshead; Tillman, Sanchez, Atuesta; Olivera, Bogusz, Bouanga
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Utvik, Veselinovic, Blackmon; Raposo, Cubas, Vite, Ahmed; Gauld, White, Picault
We say: Los Angeles FC 2-2 Vancouver Whitecaps
These teams like to push the pace and are particularly strong in transition, and they each possess potent finishers, so we expect to see the back of the net bulge a few times.
Both of them, however, have often let their opponents back into matches, which is why we project an entertaining affair in which they will share the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.