Two sizzling squads meet when LAFC visit Minnesota United
Off back-to-back home shutout wins over the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas, Los Angeles FC will try for their first-ever road victory over Minnesota United on Wednesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.
LAFC (9-5-5, 32 points), who blanked the Loons 1-0 in the season opener for both teams on Feb. 22 in Los Angeles, are 0-2-4 all-time in road matches with Minnesota, including a 2-0 loss last season.
LAFC are sixth in the Western Conference but still have three games in hand after going 0-2-1, including a 2-0 loss to eventual champion Chelsea, in the FIFA Club World Cup. After a 1-0 home loss to Vancouver, Los Angeles bounced back with a 3-0 win over the Rapids and a 2-0 victory last Saturday over Dallas.
Former Tottenham star and French international Hugo Lloris needed to make just one save against Dallas for his eighth clean sheet of the season and 20th in two seasons with LAFC. Denis Bouanga had a goal and an assist to increase his MLS totals to 10 goals and seven assists in 18 matches.
'There is rhythm, that is great to see,' LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. 'There is confidence. That is good to see. ... We have done this for two (matches) in a row, and we hope to continue that against Minnesota.'
Los Angeles will have to do it without one of its best defenders, however. The team announced Tuesday that Aaron Long, carted off in the 76th minute against Dallas, underwent surgery for a ruptured left Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season.
Minnesota (11-4-7, 40 points) is second in the Western Conference, two points behind San Diego FC, and is a perfect 3-0-0 in July, including a U.S. Open Cup win over the Chicago Fire, outscoring its opponents 9-3 in the process.
The Loons come in off an impressive 4-1 home win over San Jose on Saturday. Tani Oluwaseyi had a goal and two assists and Robin Lod picked up his 34th career assist, eclipsing Emanuel Reynoso's regular-season club record of 33. Oluwaseyi, a member of the Canadian national team, has nine goals and eight assists this season.
'I think in general it was a high-level performance, and I think the score line reflected that and the chances we had reflected that,' Minnesota coach Eric Ramsay said. 'I think this team has a lot of energy and a lot of momentum at the moment.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
19 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Myrto Uzuni and Owen Wolff score goals, Austin beats Galaxy 2-1
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Myrto Uzuni scored a goal in the 40th minute and added an assists, Owen Wolff scored his first goal of the season and Austin FC beat LA 2-1 on Wednesday night to snap the Galaxy's three-game home win streak. Brad Stuver had three saves and his ninth shutout — second in MLS behind Vancouver's Yohei Takaoka (10) — this season for Austin (8-8-6). Diego Rubio, on the counter-attack, played a ball-ahead to Uzuni, who cut back to evade a defender at the edge of the box and then blasted a shot inside the left post to open the scoring. Uzuni misplayed a cross that was deflected but then beat three Galaxy players, including goalkeeper Novak Micovic, to the loose ball near the right post and tapped it to Wolff for the finish from the center of the area that made it 2-0 in the 63rd. LA (3-14-6), the defending MLS Cup champion which had won back-to-back games for the first time this season, had its three-game unbeaten streak snapped. Joseph Paintsil converted from the penalty spot in the third minute of stoppage time for the Galaxy. Micovic stopped two shots. LA had 57% possession and outshot Austin 15-7. Austin beat the Galaxy 1-0 on April 19. ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Theo Corbeanu's PK helps Toronto beat San Diego 1-0
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Theo Corbeanu scored in the 20th minute, Sean Johnson stopped the only shot he faced and Toronto FC beat San Diego FC 1-0 on Wednesday night in the first-ever meeting between the clubs. Corbeanu drew a foul in the penalty area and converted from the spot to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. Toronto (5-11-6) won for the second time in eight games. San Diego (13-7-3), which had won five six, leads the Western Conference with 42 points, one ahead of Vancouver. Pablo Sisniega made his second consecutive start and had a save for San Diego. CJ Dos Santos hasn't played since the 24-year-old goalkeeper suffered a nose injury in SDFC's 4-3 loss to Houston on July 5. San Diego had 67% possession and outshot Toronto 7-4 but had just one shot on target. ___ AP soccer:
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Whitecaps 3, Dynamo 0: Houston has a problem against resurgent Caps
HOUSTON (AP) — Emmanuel Sabbi scored a goal in the fourth minute, Sebastian Berhalter added a goal and the Vancouver Whitecaps beat the Houston Dynamo 3-0 on Wednesday night. Yohei Takaoka had two saves and his MLS-high 10th shutout this season for Vancouver. Mathias Laborda's header from the centre of the area, off a ball-in played by Edier Ocampo, was parried by diving goalkeeper Jonathan Bond but Sabbi blasted a half-volley into the net to open the scoring. Brian White, on the right side of the area, played a pass back to a charging Sebastian Berhalter for a first-touch finish from just outside the penalty box in the 42nd. White had a penalty kick blocked by Bond but tapped in his own rebound to cap the scoring in the 56th. The Whitecaps (12-5-5) had lost back-to-back games — by a combined score of 6-0 — and four of their last five. Houston (7-11-5) had 56% possession, though the Dynamo were outshot 14-13, 7-2 on target.
