LAFC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps - Leagues Cup 2024
Tuesday, July 30 at 7:30pm PT
Location: BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA 🏟
Radio: KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera, 710 AM ESPN 📻, ESPN LA App📱
After a comfortable 3-0 victory over Club Tijuana at BMO Stadium on Friday night, LAFC next hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps in its final match of the 2024 Leagues Cup Group Stage on Tuesday, July 30, at BMO Stadium.
With Friday’s victory, LAFC has taken the top spot in the 2024 Leagues Cup West 7 group, ahead of both Club Tijuana and the Whitecaps. The latter club will kick off its tournament journey against the Black & Gold in Tuesday’s match.
LAFC has lost just once to Vancouver over their last seven meetings (5W-1L-1D). The Black & Gold has faced off against the Whitecaps 18 times in total, boasting a record of 9W-5L-4D across all competitions. Over the last year, the two Western Conference rivals have faced one another in three different competitions: MLS regular season, MLS Cup playoffs, and Concacaf Champions Cup.
Their most recent meeting was on May 11, when LAFC emerged victorious with a 3-0 scoreline courtesy of goals from Cristian Olivera (two tallies) and Mateusz Bogusz.
Whitecaps In Depth:
The Whitecaps are seeking to advance to the knockout stages of 2024 Leagues Cup and potentially improve upon their Round-of-32 defeat to Tigres UANL in last year’s tournament.
Led by head coach Vanni Sartini, Vancouver enters this pause in MLS league play in a battle for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. The Caps currently sit in fifth place, with 38 points from 24 matches played.
In their most recent match on July 20 at BC Place, the Caps suffered a 4-3 loss to the Houston Dynamo.
The Caps will be without their captain Ryan Gauld and his 18 goal contributions in MLS play. Gauld is on the mend following a knee injury incurred on July 20. Brian White leads the team in scoring with 12 goals in MLS play in ‘24.
The Black & Gold Can Win If:
It takes an early lead and dictates the pace of the match. LAFC’s perfect 3-0-0 record at BMO Stadium in Leagues Cup games reflects the dominance of a side that has outscored opponents 14-1 in those matches. Cristian Olivera showcased his scoring prowess with two goals against Xolos, bringing his season total to 10 across all competitions and solidifying his status as a key offensive threat alongside Denis Bouanga and Mateusz Bogusz. Notably, Bouanga's contributions often correlate with victory, as evidenced by the team's unbeaten record of 13W-0L-1D when he either scores or assists.
The Whitecaps Can Win If:
They overcome Gauld's absence and break down an LAFC defense that has conceded just one goal in its past three matches. Vancouver arrives at BMO Stadium with an impressive record on the road, having gone undefeated in its last four away outings (3W-0L-1D) while outscoring opponents 9-3. The Caps are expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation Tuesday night that will seek to capitalize on any LAFC errors and secure a valuable three points in the group.
