LAFC heads to Vancouver with plenty at stake

To have a shot of reaching Decision Day with the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed up still for grabs, the Los Angeles Football Club must win Sunday in Canada.

All but four Major League Soccer teams had the weekend off due to the FIFA international window. As a consequence of LAFC’s run to the Leagues Cup final against the Columbus Crew in late August, the Black & Gold will travel for a rescheduled match against the Vancouver Whitecaps with plenty riding on the outcome.

Sending a league-high six players to international duty, including Scottish playmaker Ryan Gauld and half their starting lineup, the short-handed Whitecaps at least won’t have to contend with Denis Bouanga, Cristian Olivera or Maxime Chanot.

And nearly a full month after re-signing with LAFC, Carlos Vela isn’t ready to suit up as he did not travel to British Columbia.

So the depth LAFC accumulated throughout the season has another chance to make a difference, this time at the sold-out BC Place, where more than 30,000 spectators are expected.

“We’ll have our work cut out for us,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said Friday. “It’s going to be a well-organized, fit team. A team willing to fight and run in order to keep the points at home and to move up the table. They’re looking at this as an opportunity, as are we.”

Not dealing with Bouanga, who tormented Vancouver in eight meetings across all competitions the past two years, scoring seven goals to go with seven assists, is a silver lining for the Whitecaps.

Though that might depend on if 18-year-old Venezuelan David Martínez, recognized this week as one of the top young players in MLS, impresses Cherundolo again. Martínez has three goals in his last five appearances.

“We are trying to get him into a physical condition where he can do this week in and week out,” Cherundolo said, “because when he is there and we do get him in that position, he’s going to not only be great for LAFC but also great for the league.”

Having lost three MLS contests in a row heading into their regular-season home finale, Whitecaps histrionic head coach Vanni Sartini might object to that idea. His group needs something to go their way after falling from fourth to eighth in the conference by accumulating just eight of 27 possible points since July 20.

The third meeting between LAFC (17-8-7, 58 points) and Vancouver (13-11-8, 47 points) this year is the 20th all-time between the familiar foes. It’s also their first as reigning American and Canadian champions. The Whitecaps won a third straight domestic title by beating Montreal on penalties the same night LAFC lifted the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at BMO Stadium.

The result seemed to spark LAFC’s current four-match winning streak, including back-to-back shutouts. Victories at Cincinnati and Kansas City also highlighted the team’s road performances, going 7-6-3 compared to last year’s 4-6-7 mark.

Another three points would top the travel ledger of the 2022 group that captured the MLS Cup. More importantly, LAFC would stay alive behind the conference-leading Galaxy, with 64 points, for this season’s top seed.

“It’s a credit to the roster,” defender Aaron Long said after LAFC beat Kansas City last weekend. “It’s a credit to the coaching staff and the GM for putting this roster together, and the rotations they’re making. It’s been fantastic from the whole group, top to bottom.”

LAFC AT VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

When: Sunday, 4:30 p.m.

Where: BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

TV/radio: Apple TV+ (MLS Season Pass)/710 AM, 980 AM