A place in round two of the MLS Cup playoffs will be at stake Friday when Los Angeles FC host the Vancouver Whitecaps in the decisive third game of that series at BMO Stadium.
Over the weekend, the Caps kept their season alive with a 3-0 victory over LA at BC Place Stadium to even that series at one game apiece.
Match preview
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With a chance to advance into the conference semi-finals for a third successive campaign, LA failed to deliver, as several defensive errors cost them on Sunday.
Two own-goals sunk Steve Cherundolo's side in game two, with the Black and Gold losing an opening round post-season fixture for the first time since 2020 (3-1 to the Seattle Sounders).
They are on a four-match MLS unbeaten run at BMO Stadium, winning three successive domestic home games, including a narrow 2-1 triumph against Vancouver in game one.
LAFC have emerged victorious in six consecutive playoff home contests, and they have never been eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs since Cherundolo took charge ahead of the 2022 season.
The Black and Gold have not suffered successive MLS defeats in 2024 and have not lost a home playoff encounter since the Sounders came back to beat them 3-1 in the 2019 Western Conference final.
This season, LAFC went unbeaten in MLS play at home versus Canadian opposition, claiming two domestic victories against the Whitecaps by a combined margin of 5-1.
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With their backs up against the wall, Vancouver came through on Sunday, forcing a decisive game three in this opening-round series.
The Caps came into the playoffs on a four-match MLS losing run but have managed to turn it around, winning two of their last three domestic affairs.
Their 3-0 victory last weekend was the first time they ever won an opening-round game in the MLS Cup playoffs, and on Friday, they can win a post-season away encounter for the first time since joining this league.
Vanni Sartini's men are winless in their last four domestic encounters away from home, though they defeated the Portland Timbers in the wildcard round this year (5-0) at Providence Park, where they were listed as the home team.
Vancouver's last four MLS defeats were by a single goal, and they have not won consecutive league fixtures since July, when they followed up a 4-1 win at St. Louis City with a 2-1 triumph versus Sporting Kansas City.
A 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes in March was the only victory for the Caps in normal time this year in California across all competitions.
Team News
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In game two last weekend, Los Angeles were without Lorenzo Dellavalle because of an ACL injury, and he will not return to the lineup this year.
David Martinez made his MLS playoff debut last weekend, coming on for Olivier Giroud, while Jesus Murillo played the final 14 minutes in place of Denis Bouanga, his first appearance since being injured in the Leagues Cup final in August.
On Sunday, Jeevan Bedwal was unavailable for Vancouver because of a knee injury, while Sebastian Berhalter and Fafa Picault came into the starting 11 in place of Mathias Laborda and Pedro Vite.
Ryan Gauld had another massive match for the Whitecaps on Sunday, scoring the winner after 10 minutes and forcing own-goals from Ryan Hollingshead and Eddie Segura, while Yohei Takaoka collected his first career MLS post-season clean sheet, making five stops.
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Long, Chanot, Segura; Hollingshead, Tillman, O'Brien, Atuesta; Bogusz, Giroud, Bouanga
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Berhalter, Blackmon, Veselinovic, Adekugbe; Schopf, Cubas, Ahmed; Gauld, White, Picault
We say: Los Angeles FC 2-0 Vancouver Whitecaps (Los Angeles FC win series 2-1)
LA have been in so many must-win encounters over the past two years, and we expect them to correct the mistakes from game two and prevail.
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