Four matches without a win. Just one goal scored. It’s not time to panic. I repeat, it’s not time to panic. It’s not even close.
Objectively, those are the facts. But this is football. We need context. Let me remind you for the umpteenth time in 2023. There are 90-plus minutes in a match and on average two to three goals. This sport is all about context and nuance. If it wasn’t, why would we subject ourselves to that?
LAFC last four games were as follows: a cup match, a two-legged final, and a regular season, midweek match.
They lost the cup match 2-0 to their rivals, fielding mostly LAFC2 against the first team of the opponent, after outplaying them for much of the match. It was internationally-seasoned pros versus a group of kids, many of which played in their second professional match. And if you were there at BMO that night, you can’t tell me it wasn’t a lot of fun to see what the kids could do. Let’s keep moving.
Over two legs in the Concacaf Champions League final, LAFC came up short. They lost 2-1 in León and 1-0 at home. Both legs were intense, emotional, and filled with drama. It’s the final of the biggest competition on the continent. It’s supposed to be difficult. Although it doesn’t lessen the accomplishment of becoming the first team in MLS history to reach two CCL finals.
Now to Wednesday night. Three days after the second leg of a final, LAFC played to a 0-0 draw at home against Atlanta United. The score line is the score line. But for some context, LAFC outshot Atlanta 22 to 4 and had eight shots on target… Atlanta had zero. The team xG (an accumulation of all the team’s chances with the probability of the shot resulting in a goal based on historical data of thousands of similar shots) was seriously titled in LAFC’s favor at 2.3 to the Black & Gold to 0.8 for their opponents.
“Judging by the performance, I think they're handling it quite well,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said after the Atlanta match when asked if his team was frustrated after the CCL final loss. “I think we’ve already digested the Champions League final. There’s no way you play a game like that tonight if you hadn’t. There’s frustration, of course, by not getting the three points. Not being rewarded.
“Everybody in that locker room has been in that position before. I think there’s no reason to panic at all. Just keep going. Keep playing in the same manner and things will take care of themselves. But at the same time, putting in the extra work in the final third on the training field and we’ll do that on Friday.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Here are the Takeaways from LAFC’s 0-0 draw with Atlanta United:
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Standing On His Head
Speaking of those opportunities in front of goal. I suspect if it had been any other goalkeeper on any other night, LAFC walks away with two or three goals. But Brad Guzan was a wall at the back for Atlanta United.
In securing the 50th shutout of his MLS career, Guzan made eight saves. With each shot, it seemed like the degree of difficulty grew. Guzan made saves from long distance, point-blank reaction saves, came well off his line, and even got a little help from his goalpost.
Guzan’s seventh save of the night was probably his best – and that includes a penalty stop that was eventually retaken after the goalkeeper was adjudged to be off his line before the kick. Stipe Biuk strode into the right side of the Atlanta United penalty area. After a quick stutter step, the attacker slid the ball to the middle of the box and onto the feet of MLS leading scorer Dénis Bouanga. In a fluid motion, Bouanga took one touch with his left to elude his marker, turned his hips toward goal, and fired a shot from six yards out.
I’m not sure Guzan saw more than a blur come off Bouanga’s foot. Reaching back with his right arm, Guzan instinctively saved a shot destined for the back of the net. It was a reaction save that summed up his and LAFC’s night in front of goal.
He’s A Pro
A few weeks back on the Max + Vince Podcast, we had best friend of the show Ilie Sánchez join us. Amidst the many topics of conversation, Ilie interrupted to bring up his own topic – don’t worry, he was very polite about it, and usually, when he does this, it’s for a good reason!
What did Ilie want to talk about? Erik Dueñas.
“Let me say something about Erik because when he started the game in Nashville… sorry to cut you off Vince but this is very important to me,” Ilie said. “I feel that now that I’ve been here for a year and a half, I feel that I am in a special place in terms of not just first team in competing and winning games and trophies but also I could experience the work that every single Academy staff member is putting in this organization in making it bigger and stronger with the goal of providing players to the first team.
“Erik is a result. Probably the best result of the Academy so far. He’s actually performing with the first team. And I can tell you that the future is bright.”
Well, the future is here.
Erik went 90 minutes against Atlanta and he was no passenger. Playing probably the most demanding position for LAFC in central midfield, he exerted his influence on the match. He led the team in successful take-ons (a perfect 4 out of 4), completed nearly 90 percent of his passes, and had two key passes on the night.
At just 18, Erik continues to prove he belongs with every passing minute on the pitch. The more you watch him, the more he seems to add to his game and grow in confidence.
Not that I ever doubted Ilie.
A Word On Penalties
Roberto Baggio was one of the best players of his generation. But many of you know him as the guy that missed Italy’s final penalty in the 1994 World Cup Final in the US.
Baggio scored 98 penalties in his career. He missed just 18 in 16 seasons as a professional. But he’ll always be remembered by many for that day at the Rose Bowl.
“Only those who have the courage to take a penalty miss them,” Baggio once said.
On May 20, Carlos Vela stepped up to the spot and scored a penalty in the 95th minute to give LAFC a 2-1 victory over San Jose. On Wednesday night, he was off the mark from the same spot.
In his career with LAFC, Vela has scored 22 penalties. Eight of those penalties were in games LAFC won by a single goal or tied – including a penalty against Brad Guzan in a 4-3 victory over Atlanta in 2019.
These are high-pressure, high-leverage moments. And Vela has done more than his fair share of succeeding. But somehow, the misses always seem to stick out in our memories.
In those times, I always remind myself of Baggio. Not bad company to be in.
