LAFC Faces San Jose Earthquakes After Champions Cup Setback

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles FC returns to BMO Stadium on Saturday night, looking to rebound from their recent loss in the Concacaf Champions Cup. The Black & Gold will host the San Jose Earthquakes in a critical MLS match under the spotlight.

Earlier this week, LAFC was edged out by Inter Miami in the Champions Cup quarterfinals, losing 3-2 on aggregate after a hard-fought two-leg series. As they regroup, LAFC is set to embark on a string of five consecutive weekend matches, three of which will be played at home against conference rivals, beginning with San Jose.

The Earthquakes are led by Bruce Arena, the former USMNT coach and five-time MLS Cup champion, and currently sit in eighth place in the Western Conference with 10 points from their first seven games, sporting a record of 3 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. Notably, San Jose recently celebrated a striking 6-1 victory over D.C. United, tying them with Orlando City for the most goals scored in the league at 15.

Josef Martínez, who earned the title of MLS Player of the Matchday for his performance against D.C. United, showcased his prowess by netting his seventh career hat trick, setting a new record in MLS history. Meanwhile, Cristian Espinoza continues to make headlines, moving into fourth place on San Jose’s all-time goals list with a total of 33, while currently sharing the lead in assists (5) with Pep Biel of Charlotte FC.

LAFC, with a record of 3-4-0 and sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference, has historically excelled at home, remaining unbeaten against San Jose in Los Angeles since September 2020. Their home record against the Quakes is an impressive 6 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw during that span. LAFC also boasts a favorable 12-7-1 overall record against San Jose in all competitions.

In their last encounter six months ago, LAFC managed to secure a pivotal 2-1 victory over San Jose on MLS Decision Day, which was instrumental for them to finish first in the Western Conference ahead of the playoffs.

For LAFC to find success this Saturday, they will need to quickly recover from their midweek disappointment and reestablish themselves on the pitch. Coach Steve Cherundolo emphasized the importance of resilience, stating, “Disappointments are part of the deal when a club’s aspirations are as lofty as ours”.

On the other side, for San Jose to be effective, a strong performance from both Martínez and Cristian Arango will be crucial. They have shown the ability to capitalize on any opportunities near LAFC’s goal and must do so again if they aim to claim all three points away.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM PT, and the first 15,000 fans attending the match will receive a commemorative First Responders pin, courtesy of Kaiser Permanente.