Four-and-a-half months ago, Real Salt Lake defeated LAFC on a blanket of Utah snow only slightly thicker than the flurries that filled the air throughout the match, making visibility nearly nil. On Wednesday night comes the rematch in Los Angeles, on a day when highs are expected to reach the low 80s.
This disparity in weather conditions stands in contrast with the teams’ identical point totals – 43 – two-thirds of the way through the MLS season. Another similarity between the Western Conference co-leaders: each is coming off the heaviest loss of their respective 2024 seasons. RSL fell in Portland last Saturday, 3-0, and LAFC at home to Columbus, 5-1.
“We've gotten over the last game physically and mentally,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolosaid on Tuesday, three days after his side fell to the defending MLS Cup champions, “and we’re preparing for Real Salt Lake, which is also a very good team this year … We have our work cut out for us tomorrow night, but we’ll have solutions and I'm looking forward to seeing our team perform and showing a little reaction from the poor performance from the other night.”
THIN BENCHES
RSL has gotten off to its best start in a decade, due in part to its form on the road, where Pablo Mastroeni’s side has lost just twice in 12 matches, going 4W-2L-6D away from home. Their efforts to resume that trend after the Portland loss will be made without MLS Golden Boot leader and former LAFC star Cristian “Chicho” Arango, who this week was suspended by the league for violations of its Anti-Harassment Policy. Also missing: second-leading scorer Andrés Gómez, who will sit out the LAFC match due to yellow card accumulation.
“Chicho is a special player and Gómez has had a very good season,” said Cherundolo, who coached Arango during LAFC’s MLS Cup championship season in 2022. “So that will change some of their flow in the offensive part of the game. But it could help them defensively. There are always positives and negatives to look at, and we expect a very good Real Salt Lake tomorrow.”
The absence of Arango and Gómez, the highest-scoring duo in MLS this season (just ahead of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Mati Bogusz), is counterbalanced by the one-game suspensions that LAFC defenders Jesús Murillo and Sergi Palencia will serve Wednesday night following the red cards they were shown in the Columbus match. Cherundolo said that starting center back Aaron Long is ready to return after resting on Saturday night, and that Palencia will be replaced at outside back by Omar Campos. “We'll be able to cover for our suspended players,” he said.
Midfielder Timmy Tillman is expected to return to his starting role after sitting out one-game due to yellow-card accumulation.
Cherundolo said that winger Cristian Olivera, who started LAFC’s first 16 regular-season games this year, “is back … he’s ready to go” after competing for Uruguay in the Copa América tournament that just ended.
Olivera hasn’t played for LAFC in a month-and-a-half, since the Black & Gold’s 1-0 win over FC Dallas on June 1. The 22-year-old appeared in four Copa América matches for Uruguay, including Saturday’s third-place game, in which Uruguay defeated Canada by penalty shootout.
Uruguay lost the Copa semifinal to Colombia, home country of four current LAFC players, including defender Eddie Segura. The Pereira, Colombia, native watched his national team fall bravely to Argentina, 1-0, in a final that required 120 minutes to resolve.
“The truth is that I feel a lot of pride, a lot of enthusiasm, just like all Colombians,” Segura said in Spanish of that outcome, which snapped Colombia’s 28-match unbeaten streak. “Especially for everything the team had shown, with the undefeated record we had. It was a learning experience for everyone. I believe the clearest example is what Argentina is doing today, from losing several finals to now winning three straight titles. So I am very proud of my country, of my team.”
FAR OUT, MAN
Wednesday night, for the first time in LAFC history, the Black & Gold will wear a limited edition third kit.
LAFC’s participation in MLS’ 2024 Archive Collection (along with Portland, Sporting KC, Miami, and the Galaxy) resulted in an earth-tone-themed kit that was inspired by the historic soccer clubs who have played in LA over the years, and which carries an unmistakable 1970s look and feel. “I like it a lot,” Segura said in Spanish. “It's a very special kit. I'm very proud and excited to wear it and hopefully we can continue this good rhythm that we've been on.”
Forward Nathan Ordaz added: “I think they're really cool and I'm excited to wear it in-game hopefully and, you know, keep it.”
ODDS & ENDS
The Columbus match marked the 100th regular-season appearance of Segura’s MLS career, all of them with LAFC. Segura is just the eighth player in LAFC history to play 100 league games in Black & Gold, a milestone that carries extra poignance given the knee surgeries Segura hasovercome over the last three years.
“Since I arrived here [in 2018],” Segura said Tuesday, “I always made it my goal to give one hundred percent. I had the opportunity to complete those hundred games for this institution, which since I arrived has loved me, and all the fans have supported me. It is something very special for me, for my family, because I know that I worked hard, even when things didn't turn out well.”
“Eddie is an incredible teammate and person,” Cherundolo said, “always is in a good mood and trying to help, a real competitor as well. He has recovered and put himself in a spot to help us again. That shows incredible professionalism on Eddie's part. Determination. And obviously his talent speaks for itself.”
Ordaz, the 20-year-old Homegrown who was trained in LAFC’s academy, scored the first goal of his MLS career against the Crew. “It was really important,” he said Ordaz, “because it’s form at the end of the day. If you score one, you know, you're more likely to score another one, and you just feel more confident on the ball towards the goal. I'm a forward, so that's important.”
Salt Lake attacker Diego Luna, also just 20 years old, has recorded 12 assists so far this season, which ranks third in MLS and places him in elite company. Luna is tied with Timbers star Evander, and trails reigning MVP Lucho Acosta of FC Cincinnati (17 assists) and Lionel Messi of Inter Miami (13).
Luna recently became the first player in MLS history to record multiple three-assist games prior to his 23rd birthday.
Wednesday’s matchup pits two of the six teams in MLS who currently have double-digit goal differentials, against one another. In order, those six elite teams are: Columbus (plus-26), RSL (plus-18), LAFC (plus-15), Cincinnati (plus-14), Miami (plus-14) and the Galaxy (plus-12).
LAFC hosts Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, July 17, at BMO Stadium, presented by Auto Collision Group. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT (free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, FS1, 710 AM ESPN LA, ESPN LA app, 980 AM La Mera Mera).
