Los Angeles FC will be confronted with CF Montreal on Saturday before focusing their attention on the “Honor” of a World Cup play-off from Club against Club America.
After the removal of Club Leon from the new showpiece of FIFA because of a violation of the rules for several club ownership, the administrative body of World Football has worked to identify a replacement.
Lafc and America have been selected for a play-off competition to fight for a berth in the World Cup, with the date set before 31 May.
“It will be an honor to play in,” said Lafc General Director John Thorrington.
“Lafc has been involved in many big games in our somewhat short history, and we are incredibly enthusiastic.”
This mammoth competition comes in a test period for Lafc, where head coach Steve Cherundolo has announced that he will leave at the end of the season.
But Thorrington insisted that in recent weeks “was not a whirlwind” and suggested that Cherundolo's decision had had a “galvanizing” effect on the team while having “success on all fronts”.
However, he said, “For us, as a club, it's about the next game.”
That next game is against Montreal, where Lafc will try to return to winning ways after Cherundolo described the “pure disappointment” of last week's El Traphico with De La Galaxy.
Then a trip to Montreal #lafc | @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/jhfiifo0x9
– Lafc (@LAFC) May 21, 2025
The coach added: “We cannot lose sight of the journey where we are all season. The steps we have taken as a group are very positive. We are on a good way.”
Lafc certainly seems to be on a better path than Montreal, which comes in this game after he has followed a 6-1 derby defeat against Toronto FC by losing FC in the Canadian championship.
Players to watch
CF Montreal – Fernando Alvarez
The red card by Joel Waterman against Toronto set one of the most miserable matches in the history of Montreal in motion, with the young defender Alvarez the unfortunate replacement that was introduced to try to connect a gaping hole.
Lafc are hardly more forgiving opponents, but Alvarez may have more opportunity to impress a full XI as Montreal seems to solve their terrible defensive problems.
Lafc – Denis Bouanga
One of the men who can get Alvarez to stop is Bouanga, but that is much easier said than done.
His run of contributing a target involvement in seven straight matches is the best such series in MLS this season, while only Carlos Vela and Mateusz Bogusz have ever enjoyed better stripes in the history of Lafc.
Match -Prepeling: Lafc Win
Lafc has won their only two earlier meetings with Montreal, and the Canadian side would have been in a better fettle that went in those competitions than this one.
Montreal is one of only seven teams in MLS with one win or less to 14 games, while the Toronto -Rout continued a relevant trend, with their fourth defeat with five or more goals since the start of the 2023 season.
In the meantime, Lafc have been unbeaten in seven games since their elimination of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Opta wins probability
CF Montreal – 23.4%
Drawing – 22.5%
LAFC – 54.1%