LAFC return to action Tuesday night to take on fellow Major League Soccer outfit Vancouver Whitecaps in Leagues Cup action.
The Black and Gold opened up their Leagues Cup campaign with a 3-0 triumph over Liga MX side Club Tijuana, with Cristian Olivera bagging a brace while Denis Bouanga was also on the scoresheet. Steve Cherundolo will hope for more of the same next time out to clinch a spot in the Leagues Cup knockout stage.
The matchup against LAFC will be Vancouver’s first of Leagues Cup 2024 before they take on Tijuana at the upcoming weekend. The Canadian club are fresh off a 4-1 defeat to EFL League One side Wrexham and will hope to turn their form around in time for their clash against LAFC.
Here’s 90min‘s guide to LAFC vs the Whitecaps.
Current form (all competitions)
|
LAFC |
Vancouver Whitecaps |
|---|---|
|
LAFC 3-0 Club Tijuana – 26/07/2024 |
Vancouver Whitecaps 1-4 Wrexham – 27/07/2024 |
|
Seattle Sounders 0-3 LAFC – 20/07/2024 |
Vancouver Whitecaps 3-4 Houston Dynamo – 20/07/2024 |
|
LAFC 1-1 Real Salt Lake – 17/07/2024 |
Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 Sporting Kansas City – 17/07/2024 |
|
LAFC 1-5 Columbus Crew – 13/07/2024 |
St Louis CITY 1-4 Vancouver Whitecaps – 13/07/2024 |
|
LAFC 3-1 New Mexico United – 10/07/2024 |
Pacific FC 0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps – 10/07/2024 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass |
|
United States |
Apple TV – MLS Season Pass |
|
Canada |
Apple TV + |
Midfielder Timothy Tillman is still recovering from a leg injury and is unavailable for selection vs Vancouver. The USA international is expected to return to the mix by mid-August.
LAFC predicted lineup vs Club Tijuana ( 3-4-3 ): Lloris; Murillo, Chanot, Long; Hollingshead, Sanchez, Bogusz, Campos; Olivera, Kamara, Bouanga.
Center-back Tristan Blackmon is set to miss the match with a groin injury, while fellow defender Mathias Laborda is also a doubt with an ankle injury. Backup goalkeeper Joe Bendik is also expected to be sidelined with a back injury suffered in mid-July.
Vancouver Whitecaps predicted lineup vs LAFC ( 3-4-3 ): Takaoka; Utvik, Veselinovic, Martins; Ahmed, Vite, Cubas, Schopf; Gauld, White, Picault.
The Whitecaps definitely have a few players that are capable of making something out of nothing, but it will be too big of a task when they come up against the 2022 MLS Cup champions. LAFC will prevail in the end in a comfortable victory to seal their place in the Round of 32 thanks to goal from Bouanga, Olivera and Hollingshead.
Prediction: LAFC 3-1 Vancouver Whitecaps