How to watch and stream
- ABC, ESPN3 in US
- TSN 4, TVA Sports in Canada
When
- Sunday, Oct. 30 | 3 pm ET
Where
- Banc of California Stadium | Los Angeles, Calif.
The Western Conference side of the bracket has gone chalk, with LAFC snagging the No. 1 seed after winning a second Supporters’ Shield title in four years. Meanwhile, Austin FC got the No. 2 seed upon completing a 25-point turnaround from their expansion to sophomore seasons.
This game could decide who hosts MLS Cup on Nov. 5, too, with the Black & Gold just needing a win to get another game on home turf. As for the Verde & Black, getting another postseason game at Q2 Stadium means winning on the road and then hoping New York City FC upset the Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference Final.
Head coach Steve Cherundolo’s team earned a Round One bye after topping the West, then they took care of business in the Conference Semifinals when dealt a playoff-version El Trafico. A 3-2 win over cross-city rivals LA Galaxy followed suit, powered by Denis Bouanga’s brace and Cristian Arango’s 93rd-minute game-winner.
LAFC are in decent shape health-wise, with superstar Gareth Bale likely to be available for selection after missing the Galaxy match due to a leg injury. Even if the Welsh forward can’t go, Cherundolo has no shortage of dangerous options to choose from up top.
Only in their fifth season, LAFC are hoping they can one-up 2019’s playoff run after getting bounced at this very stage at home by Seattle Sounders FC. That Western Conference Final was nearly three years ago to the date, a memory holdovers Carlos Vela, Eddie Segura and Latif Blessing surely remember well.
The pressure’s squarely on LAFC to add more silverware to their star-studded 2022 campaign, entering as the presumptive favorite despite dropping both regular-season matches against Austin this year.
As mentioned above, Austin twice confidently swept aside LAFC when meeting the Shield winners this year – first via a 2-1 road win in mid-May and then a 4-1 demolition before the ATX faithful in late August. That’ll give head coach Josh Wolff’s squad the belief that an upset is within reach.
The Verde & Black are also riding the confidence of back-to-back playoff wins at Q2 Stadium, first needing a penalty shootout to advance past Real Salt Lake in Round One following a 2-2 comeback draw. Then they beat Texas rival FC Dallas, 2-1, in the Conference Semifinals to sit on the doorstep of MLS Cup.
Unsurprisingly, star midfielder Sebastian Driussi has been spectacular after mounting an MVP-level campaign with 22 goals and seven assists. He’s snagged three more goals in two playoff games, reaching levels that made the Argentine a bonafide star in MLS.
Austin will surely need goalkeeper Brad Stuver to stay locked in after his PK heroics against RSL, while the likes of Diego Fagundez, Maxi Urruti and Emiliano Rigoni can all steal the show on their day, too. Wolff’s squad is deep.
