LOS ANGELES — The dream is still alive. For both Los Angeles FC and Austin FC, the Western Conference Final on Sunday will mark the biggest match in club history. The entire season has been building to this for star-studded LAFC, while Verde has been constructing its dreams on the fly in the franchise's second season.
The symbolism of this one is strong. LAFC hasn't beat Austin FC this year, setting up a final test that the Black & Gold must pass to reach an MLS Cup final. And for Verde, the return to the site of its first-ever game last April is another opportunity to level up — just as it did back in May, climbing briefly into first place, and in August, arriving as a legitimate championship contender by beating LAFC.
But those past matches were only the prelude to the story that will be written Sunday at Banc of California Stadium.
Here's what you need to know:
Kickoff
12:18 p.m. PT/ 2:18 p.m. CT on Sunday at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles
How to watch
The match will air on ABC in English, with Jon Champion, Taylor Twellman, and reporter Jillian Sakovits on the call, and ESPN3 in Spanish with Richard Méndez and Herculez Gomez.
Just 25 miles north of the stadium, Taqueria TacosWay will be hosting a watch party at 1245 San Fernando Rd, San Fernando, CA 91340 that includes drink specials for fans who wear Black & Gold gear. Doors open at 11 a.m.
In Austin, fans can choose to be with other fans at either the club's official watch party at Live Oak Park adjacent to Q2 Stadium, with doors open at noon, or at the Los Verdes watch party at Hopsquad Brewing, 2307 Kramer Lane.
How to listen
The LAFC English-language broadcast of the match voiced by sports radio veteran Dave Denholm can be heard on 710 AM ESPN and on the ESPN LA App. In Spanish, the broadcast featuring long-time ESPN Deportes host Armando Aguayo is on KFWB 980, "La Mera Mera."
You can hear Austin's English-language broadcast of the match voiced by Lincoln Rose on Alt 97.5 FM and on iHeartRadio. In Spanish, the broadcast featuring Roger Valdivieso and Sonny Guadarrama will be on TUDN Radio Austin (104.3-HD2, KLQB).
The match will also air on SiriusXM FC, Channel 157.
Records
Regular season: LAFC: 21W-9L-4D (67 points, No. 1 seed in Western Conference, Supporters' Shield), Austin FC: 16W-10L-8D (56 points, No. 2 seed in Western Conference)
How they got here
After a first-round bye, LAFC survived an El Tráfico thriller against the LA Galaxy in the conference semifinals, coming out with a 3-2 victory behind two goals from new star Denis Bouanga. Key tactical adjustments by head coach Steve Cherundolo helped LAFC gain the edge. For Austin, a magical run has been propelled largely by Sebastián Driussi, who scored two goals to lift Verde out of a 2-0 hole and into a penalty shootout in the first round against Real Salt Lake. Last week, surprise starter Moussa Djitté scored the opener and Driussi had the second as Austin FC outsmarted rival FC Dallas in a 2-1 victory.
Referees
Referee: Armando Villareal, Assistants: Corey Parker, Jeremy Kieso, Fourth Official: Rubiel Vasquez, Video Assistants: Tim Ford, TJ Zablocki
Injury report
LAFC: None
Austin FC: None
Projected lineups
LAFC
(4-3-3, right to left): Maxime Crepeau; Ryan Hollingshead, Jesus Murillo, Giorgio Chiellini, Diego Palacios; Ilie Sanchez, Kellyn Acosta, Jose Cifuentes; Carlos Vela, Cristian Arango, Denis Bouanga.
Austin FC
(4-3-3): Brad Stuver; Nick Lima, Julio Cascante, Ruben Gabrielsen, Jon Gallagher; Dani Pereira, Alex Ring, Sebastián Driussi; Ethan Finlay, Maxi Urruti, Diego Fagúndez.
Players to watch
LAFC: Denis Bouanga, winger
Over the last four games, no player on this LAFC team has been more influential on the field than winger Denis Bouanga. The 27-year-old Gabonese international has scored crucial goals for the club like the stoppage-time game winner against Portland to clinch the Supporters' Shield and a brace in the Western Conference semifinals against the LA Galaxy.
However, it won't be just the goals that Austin FC will have to worry about on Sunday.
Bouanga did not play in either match against Austin during the regular season, so the Verde will get the full experience of having to contain a player of Bouanga's attributes.
LAFC's No. 99 brings physicality, intelligence, and technique on the left wing, and will likely be under the primary surveillance of Austin defender Nick Lima.
Defensively, Bouanga knows when to press, when to hold his position, and always helps out his teammates. The Austin backline will have its work cut out for them.
- Benjamin Virgen
Austin FC: Diego Fagúndez, winger
If Verde is going to beat LAFC for a third time, Driussi's sidekick will have to be the threat he was in the first two matches. Two of Fagúndez's six goals this season have come against the Black & Gold, and both were set up by Driussi. In the first meeting, Fagúndez scored an 80th-minute dagger that was set up by a stunning rabona assist by Driussi. And at Q2, Fagúndez broke open the floodgates with his free kick in the 26th minute that arrived after Driussi baited Eddie Segura into a rash tackle outside the box.
What makes these two so special together is their understanding of how each other play. They're virtually interchangeable on the left side, meaning that if Driussi feels like drifting wide to find space, Fagúndez is comfortable tucking in to get on the ball. And Fagúndez is constantly looking for Driussi making his patented runs into scoring positions, leading to 15 assists coming from his service.
Fagúndez is also a big reason why Austin FC leads the league in goals from set pieces, providing pinpoint crosses from corner kicks and free kicks. It's tempting for opposing back lines to put all their emphasis on stopping Driussi, but ignoring Fagúndez as a threat is a recipe for disaster that LAFC knows all too well.
- Chris Bils
Key matchup:
For LAFC: Cristian Arango vs. Brad Stuver
Across 180 minutes, LAFC could only score twice against Austin FC, and one of those goals came from the penalty spot. The only goal from open play was via the Black & Gold's leading goal scorer, Cristian Arango. Austin's goalkeeper Brad Stuver has played a major role in keeping the ball out of the net with brilliant saves, especially in the first game.
Arango scored a stoppage-time game winner against the Galaxy to get his team to this round. That should build his already high confidence ahead of Sunday. He's a goal scorer's goal scorer, and against an Austin FC side with a reputation for conceding chances, Arango's ability to be at the right place at the right time could be crucial. So will Stuver's ability to bail his team out once or twice. -BV
For Austin FC: Josh Wolff vs. Steve Cherundolo
There are a lot of on-field matchups that will matter, but the biggest decider Sunday may well be what's being hatched on the tactics boards and training pitches this week. Wolff and Cherundolo both displayed their chops in the Western semis, with Wolff outfoxing his former colleague Nico Estévez from the start while the LAFC boss made necessary halftime adjustments to overcome an LA Galaxy blitz in the midfield.
The question is, who will want the ball on Sunday? Both of these squads built their identity on possession but found playoff success by backing off from ball dominance. LAFC had less than 40% of the ball against the Galaxy, while Verde created plenty against FCD while sitting back in a 4-4-2 and daring the visitors to break them down.
Concede too much ground, and either team is liable to feast on rhythm in possession. But getting too aggressive in trying to win the ball back could leave either back line susceptible to the likes of Driussi and Urruti for Austin, or Bouanga, Carlos Vela and Chicho Arango for LAFC. If there's a theme coming into the third meeting between them, it's that gaining an edge from the jump could be crucial.
"The first goal in these matches is extremely important," Wolff said on Thursday. "We've shown all year that we can come from behind, but both times against LAFC we hit the ground running."
- CB
FOR THE WIN:
For LAFC: Defensive discipline
When opponents visit Banc of California Stadium, they know there are a few ways they can hurt LAFC. Defending set pieces and counter-attacks have been two of the Black & Gold's weaknesses this season, especially at home, and Austin was one of the beneficiaries by exposing that area of LAFC's game.
Preventing an early goal from Austin will be key for LAFC to manage the tempo of the game, which will then give the Black & Gold the confidence to attack with numbers in an organized fashion.
If the team plays to its maximum potential, the only team that can beat LAFC is LAFC. If the Black & Gold can avoid defensive blunders and individual mistakes in its own half, it will have a very good chance of beating Austin and advancing to MLS Cup final.
-BV
For Austin FC: Team over stars
Benjamin nailed it, and I could say the same thing for Austin FC. The difference is that even if Verde plays a perfect tactical game, there are so many match-winners for LAFC that you can't guarantee they won't find a way through. The one edge that I think Verde has is it that it has weathered so many storms together, while LAFC has turned over its roster significantly and is still learning to mesh together.
Wolff said it on Wednesday, "if we make this an individual game, it's going to be challenging." Austin FC will come to the Banc with a clear vision of how to collectively frustrate LAFC, with proof that it's worked before. Emotions boiled over near the end of the first half in August at Q2, when Jesús Murillo shoved Maxi Urruti into the stands and Urruti sparked a mini-brawl.
Verde knows how to get under this team's skin, and more importantly has a foundation of not cracking in pressure moments. When tempers flare and tensions rise, you'll know that Austin FC is getting exactly what it came for.
- CB