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Los Angeles FC
Major League Soccer
Oct 2, 2023 at 1am UK
Banc of California Stadium
Real Salt Lake

Los Angeles
0 - 1
Salt Lake


Sanchez (39'), Olivera (56'), Tillman (62'), Bogusz (67'), Palacios (78')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Arango (72')
Gomez (51'), Rubin (86'), Palacio (89')

Preview: Los Angeles FC vs. Real Salt Lake - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday's Major League Soccer clash between Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Los Angeles FC can officially book their place in the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs with a victory on Sunday at BMO Stadium versus Real Salt Lake.

With four matches remaining, the Black and Gold are tied with the Seattle Sounders for second in the Western Conference following a 0-0 draw with the Philadelphia Union in their previous domestic affair, while Claret and Cobalt are two points below them in fifth after coming back to defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1.


Match preview

Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cherundolo on September 24, 2023© Reuters

They are still the third-highest-scoring side in the Western Conference, but lately finding the back of the net has proven to be exceedingly tricky for LAFC, who have been held off the scoresheet in three successive matches in all competitions and four of their previous five games.

Although they have not been clinical in the attacking third in recent matches, the Black and Gold have made up for that with a durable and well-organised backline, posting consecutive MLS clean sheets while conceding the second-fewest goals in the West this year (34).

Throughout the domestic campaign, Steve Cherundolo's men have been at their most dangerous in front of their home fans, netting in all but two MLS contests this season at BMO Stadium and scoring three or more goals on six occasions.

It would seem unlikely for LAFC to miss the postseason as they are currently seven points above the playoff line with four matches remaining, but it would also take a lot for them to reclaim first place in the West as they trail St Louis City by eight points, with the latter having a goal difference of +19, nine greater than the reigning league champions.

With only two regular-season home fixtures remaining in 2023, Los Angeles can only pick up at most 11 victories at BMO Stadium, which would be two fewer than they managed in 2022, while their three home losses this year equals the most-ever for this club in a single MLS campaign.

After defeating the New England Revolution 4-0 on matchday two of the 2023 MLS campaign, the Black and Gold have gone winless in five straight domestic outings against Eastern Conference opponents, scoring a goal or fewer on each occasion.

Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath (18) is checked after a collision on May 28, 2023© Reuters

It has been a challenging couple of months at RSL, but they got themselves back in the win column last weekend, picking up their first home victory in this competition since July 16 (3-1 win over the New York Red Bulls).

Their victory last weekend was the third time in the 2023 regular season that Pablo Mastroeni had seen his side reverse a half-time deficit and walk away with all three points, and it has them back in the mix for a home playoff game, currently tied on points with the Houston Dynamo (43) but with a significantly inferior goal difference.

Before they can think about that, though, Salt Lake still need to punch their ticket into the postseason and heading into this weekend, Claret and Cobalt are five points above that line and can officially clinch a playoff berth with a victory along with a draw or loss by Sporting Kansas City.

Real Salt Lake have lost four successive away fixtures in all competitions, claiming victory in only one domestic affair since the beginning of July (1-0 over Toronto) while conceding multiple strikes in six of their last seven competitive games.

At the moment, nothing seems to be straightforward for this team who added some experienced attacking pieces before the secondary transfer window closed, though RSL have not delivered much on that front in quite some time, scoring multiple times on only two occasions since exiting the Leagues Cup in the round of 16 versus the Black and Gold (4-0).

Real Salt Lake have lost six of their seven away matches in all competitions versus LAFC, with their only such victory occurring in the 2018 playoffs (3-2), while being outscored 11-3 in their last four visits to BMO Stadium.

Los Angeles FC Major League Soccer form:

Los Angeles FC form (all competitions):
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • L

Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer form:


Team News

Los Angeles FC players celebrate after defeating the Monterey Bay FC Union on May 9, 2023© Reuters

Cherundolo added four new faces to the opening lineup in their Campeones Cup final defeat versus Tigres earlier this week from the side that began their encounter against the Union, with Giorgio Chiellini, Ilie Sanchez, Carlos Vela and Denis Bouanga entering the starting 11 in place of Denil Maldonado, Jesus Murillo, Timothy Tillman and Stipe Biuk.

Maxime Crepeau has posted two clean sheets in his last three domestic appearances since recovering from a broken leg, though he was taken off in injury time for John McCarthy in the Campeones Cup final, with the American failing to stop a single Tigres penalty, while Tillman and Ryan Hollingshead each missed from 12 yards away, sending the Black and Gold to a 4-2 shootout defeat following a 0-0 scoreline after normal time.

Bouanga, who is one goal back of Hany Mukhtar, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Luciano Acosta in the Golden Boot race, had a brace and an assist in their 4-0 League Cup triumph versus Claret and Cobalt, with the other goals coming courtesy of Nathan Ordaz and Filip Krastev.

Pablo Ruiz was sidelined from the RSL match against Vancouver with a knee sprain, while Erik Holt missed that encounter due to a shoulder injury.

Second-half goals from Justen Glad and Brayan Vera helped Salt Lake claim victory last weekend as Zac MacMath only faced two shots, collecting his first league victory since the start of September.

Claret and Cobalt have not scored in a match at BMO Stadium since 2021, when Damir Kreilach and Anderson Julio found the back of the net in a 3-2 regular-season defeat, while former LAFC striker Chicho Arango, who joined RSL from Pachuca earlier in the campaign, scored five times against Real Salt Lake when he was a member of the Black and Gold.

Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Crepeau; Murillo, Long, Maldonado; Hollingshead, Sanchez, Acosta, Palacios; Bogusz; Vela, Bouanga

Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
MacMath; Eneli, Glad, Vera, Oviedo; C. Gomez, Palacio, Chang, Luna; Rubin, Arango


SM words green background

We say: Los Angeles FC 3-1 Real Salt Lake

The RSL backline look uneasy and overwhelmed when opposing teams run at them, and a frustrated LAFC attack should be able to take advantage of that and bury a few of their opportunities this weekend.

How to watch

You can watch Los Angeles FC vs. Real Salt Lake and every MLS match this season live on Apple TV. Click here for more details on how to subscribe.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Los Angeles vs Salt Lake

Los Angeles FC
88.9%
Draw
5.6%
Real Salt Lake
5.6%
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Eastern Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter MiamiInter Miami34228479493074
2Columbus Crew34199672403266
3FC CincinnatiCincinnati341851158481059
4Orlando City34157125950952
5Charlotte FCCharlotte FC34149114637951
6New York City FCNY City34148125449550
7New York Red BullsNY Red Bulls34111495550547
8CF MontrealMontreal341110134864-1643
9Atlanta UnitedAtlanta341010144649-340
10DC United341010145270-1840
11Philadelphia UnionPhiladelphia34910156255737
12Toronto34114194061-2137
13Nashville SCNashville3499163854-1636
14New England RevolutionNew England3494213774-3731
15Chicago Fire3479184062-2230

Western Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Los Angeles FCLos Angeles34197863432064
2Los Angeles GalaxyLA Galaxy34197869501964
3Real Salt LakeSalt Lake341611765481759
4Seattle SoundersSeattle34169951351657
5Houston DynamoHouston34159104739854
6Minnesota UnitedMinnesota Utd34157125849952
7Colorado RapidsColorado34155146160150
8Portland TimbersPortland341211116556947
9Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver34138135249347
10Austin FCAustin34119143948-942
11Dallas34118155456-241
12St Louis City34813135063-1337
13Sporting Kansas CityKansas3487195166-1531
14San Jose EarthquakesEarthquakes3463254178-3721


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