The buzz from LAFC's home opener at Banc of California Stadium has hardly died down. But the season rolls on.
After Laurent Ciman capped a historic night with a last-gasp finish in stoppage time, LAFC take to the pitch at their new home once again on Saturday. This time they face an FC Dallas team coming off just their first loss of the season, and only three points back in the Western Conference table.
Let's take a look at second match in Banc of California Stadium history:
Where To Watch/Listen:
LAFC vs. FC Dallas, May 5 at 1pm PT
TV: Univision & Twitter (live.twitter.com/mlsenunivision)
Radio: ESPNLA 710, KFWB 980
Opponent Form
FC Dallas suffered its first loss of the season last week 3-1 against NYCFC. They come into the contest with LAFC having conceded just six goals in seven matches, the lowest in MLS.
What The Players Are Saying
Walker Zimmerman on facing his former FC Dallas teammates: "I'm definitely excited. There's going to be extra desire, extra motivation, going on inside of my head. We've already given the other guys three points against their former teams: Laurent in Montreal, Jordan [Harvey] in Vancouver, and so now we're just kind of checking everyone off the list. Hopefully Dallas is next and we can pick up three points. It will be fun to play against my old team."
Lee Nguyen on the possibility of playing against Dallas: “I’m looking forward to playing. Who knows how much of a role I’m going to play this weekend. It’s up to the coach. But I’ve been training, I’m ready to go. I’m just ready to get acclimated with my teammates and get pushing.”
Carlos Vela on the atmosphere at Banc of California Stadium: "I think the level is high. It was a crazy day because everybody was expecting this moment. I hope the fans can be like the every game. I hope we can have fun, so they can enjoy. Of course, we want to win games because we have to be a really strong team at home if we want to be one of the best teams in the league.
LAFC Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3): Tyler Miller; Jordan Harvey, Laurent Ciman, Walker Zimmerman, Steven Beitashour; Eduard Atuesta, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Benny Feilhaber; Diego Rossi, Carlos Vela, Latif Blessing.
What To Watch For
Zimmerman Against His Old Club: FC Dallas drafted Walker Zimmerman with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. After five seasons with Dallas, Zimmerman was traded to LAFC in December of 2017 for allocation money. The center back has found his feet as of late, having sat out three matches to start the season with injury. In the last match against Seattle, along with his center-back partner Laurent Ciman, Zimmerman was a standout performer. Can the defender put in a repeat performance against his old team?
Stingy Defense vs. Prolific Offense: LAFC is second in goals scored in the Western Conference with 17 in seven matches. While FC Dallas is best in MLS with just six goals conceded in 2018 (three of which came in the team's 3-1 loss to NYCFC last match).
Coping Without Ureña: Forward Marco Ureña is set for a bout on the sidelines for at least the next month after picking up a facial injury in the win against Seattle. Although the center forward had yet to find the back of the net this season, Ureña leads the league in assists and has been repeatedly singled out for praise by teammates for his selfless contributions to the team. The Costa Rican had started every match to this point. Bob Bradley will need to find a replacement for his go-to guy up top.
