Could this be the week LAFC clinches the first playoff berth in Club history? All the numbers have been crunched by the people at MLS headquarters and here are the scenarios we are looking at heading into LAFC's match at the Chicago Fire:
LAFC will clinch a berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- Los Angeles FC win vs. Chicago Fire AND
- LA Galaxy lose or tie vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC AND
- Portland Timbers lose or tie vs. FC Dallas
-OR-
- Los Angeles FC win vs. Chicago Fire AND
- LA Galaxy lose or tie vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC AND
- Real Salt Lake lose or tie vs. Sporting KC
-OR-
- Los Angeles FC win vs. Chicago Fire AND
- Portland Timbers lose or tie vs. FC Dallas AND
- Real Salt Lake lose or tie vs. Sporting KC
So three possible scenarios in which LAFC clinch, but they all start with three points in Chicago. So let's have a look at LAFC's match against Bob Bradley's former team:
Where To Watch
LAFC at Chicago Fire, September 29 at 12:30pm PT
TV: Univision, Univision Deportes, and streaming live on Twitter
Radio: Streaming on the ESPNLA app, KFWB 980
Opponent Form
For the second week in a row, LAFC faces an opponent coming off the back of a midweek match. The Fire lost 2-0 to NYCFC at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. The loss ended a string of three matches unbeaten for Chicago and also mathematically eliminated the team from playoff contention in 2018.
What The Players Are Saying
Diego Rossi on LAFC's mentality down the stretch: "We know that this part of the season is important for us. We want to win the conference and we know that we have to be very strong. This stretch is going to be very important for us."
Tyler Miller on the aspirations of his team: "We built this Club not to be content with being in third place or not winning championships. This Club is here to win championships. We want to be in a situation where we can get a first-round bye and win the Supporters' Shield and go on to win MLS Cup."
LAFC Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3): Tyler Miller; Jordan Harvey, Walker Zimmerman, Dejan Jakovic, Steven Beitashour; Eduard Atuesta, Benny Feilhaber, Lee Nguyen; Diego Rossi, Adama Diomande, Carlos Vela.
What To Watch For
The Return Of Bob Bradley To Chicago: The comparisons between LAFC in 2018 and Bob Bradley's double-winning Chicago Fire in 1998 are unavoidable. Twenty years after Bradley led the only expansion team ever to win MLS Cup in its inaugural season, LAFC sits on 50 points and is within reach of the Fire's MLS record 57 points earned by a team in its first season. This is not the first time Bradley has faced the Fire though - Bradley is 5-5-3 against the Fire in his coaching career.
Set Pieces A Factor: Last week against San Jose, LAFC did all their damage via set pieces. It was the most productive the team's corner kicks have been all season, not just in terms of goals but chances created. Bradley made light of it during the week, saying the team is always looking for advantages in that area and it's something they continue to work on. If they carry on generating opportunities though, maybe Bradley and his staff are onto something that can be a dangerous asset come playoff time.
Clinching A Playoff Spot: Speaking of playoffs, with the aforementioned scenarios above, it should be reiterated that it all starts with an LAFC win. This week, the team has restated their goal of clinching a playoff spot but tempered that sentiment by saying they won't be satisfied just to get in. The trip to Chicago is the first of two consecutive matches on the road for LAFC. The Club's 21 points on the road in 2018 are joint-best in the Western Conference. To reach the heights of the conference, they'll need to maximize points from here out. That starts, just like it did at the beginning of the season, by taking care of business on the road.
