LAFC vs. Austin FC
Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. PT
🏟: BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA
🕹: Fields LA & Level Up Arcade open 5:30-7:30 p.m. PT prematch and 90 minutes post game.
Coming off a 4-2 derby loss at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, LAFC hosts Austin FC this Wednesday at BMO Stadium.
Despite the defeat, LAFC (14W-7L-6D) remains in second place in the Western Conference with 48 points from 27 matches played.
Denis Bouanga’s goal on Saturday placed the Gabon international in a three-way tie for second place in the 2024 MLS Golden Boot race, with 17 goals, alongside Cristian Arango and Luis Suárez. They trail league leader Christian Benteke, who has 19 goals.
This will be the third encounter between LAFC and Austin FC in 2024. The teams previously drew 1-1 in June at Q2 Stadium, and LAFC emerged victorious 2-0 in their Leagues Cup 2024 Round-of-32 match at BMO Stadium in August. LAFC boasts a 7W-2L-1D all-time record against the Verde.
The Verde In Depth:
Led by head coach Josh Wolff, Austin FC is striving to climb above the playoff line and avoid missing the postseason for the second year in a row.
With a record of 9W-12L-7D, Austin FC sits in 11th place in the Western Conference, with 34 points from 28 matches played. In its most recent outing, the Verde fell 2-1 to Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday, September 14.
Jáder Obrian leads Austin FC’s attack with five goals and four assists. Designated Player Sebastián Driussi has five goals and two assists. Driussi will miss the LAFC match due to yellow-card accumulation, as will defender Brendan Hines-Ike.
The Black & Gold Can Win If:
It can focus on the match at hand instead of its demanding schedule, which features seven games in just 22 days. Winless in its last three league matches, LAFC is poised to turn things around against an Austin FC side that it has not lost to in its last five encounters, dating back to 2022. LAFC boasts a home record of 9W-2L-3D in league play in 2024, and will leverage that advantage to inch closer to a playoff spot for the third consecutive season.
The Verde Can Win If:
It gets on the scoreboard first and dictates the tempo of the match. Austin FC, which has just three road victories this season (3W-8L-3D), will seek to exploit any available space and capitalize on an LAFC squad whose roster has been in flux and whose goal-scoring form has dipped.
