LAFC looks to add to its busy slate
A win tonight would ensure that May will be the busiest stretch of the year for the Los Angeles Football Club.
And with the way the Major League Soccer points leaders have played so far, getting in as many games as they can right now is fine by them.
After working nine matches on the sidelines from February through April, Steve Cherundolo can nearly double his appearances as head coach of LAFC during this month alone.
LAFC went toe-to-toe on Saturday against Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia, rallying with a pair of second-half goals to secure a point and maintain their unbeaten record at home following a 2-0 victory over Minnesota on May 1.
Wearing opponents down is a focal point of Cherundolo's tactical thinking,
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Today: Portland at LAFC, U.S. Open Cup, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
and the team's success, especially during the second half of matches, reflects the quality of the roster at his disposal.
From the second league match on, when the Portland Timbers conceded a goal to Mamadou Fall in the 93rd minute and departed L.A. with a 1-1 draw in early March, this has been the trend.
“I think that we are going to find a team that definitely has more confidence than the team we played in the second game of the season,” Portland head coach Gio Savarese said ahead of their Round of 32 clash.
Advancing to the next stage of America's oldest soccer tournament — not points — will be on the line as the Timbers visit Banc of California Stadium for a second time this year.
LAFC's third Open Cup tournament started on April 20, when it ran over reigning USL champion Orange County SC, 5-1.
Heading into another midweek Open Cup match, Cherundolo said he is confident that injured forwards Brian Rodriguez and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi as well as AllStar center back Jesus Murillo will be picked up by their teammates.
If so, beating the Timbers would add one more match to LAFC's slate of games in May, ensuring eight matches over 28 days for the MLS points leader.
Otherwise, it will be seven matches in 22 days for Portland if the result goes their way — which in this competition it has.
Each club holds a win in previous Open Cup encounters, both quarterfinal contests in L.A.
LAFC stood tall in 2018, advancing by a score of 3-2. The following year Portland
shut down a dominant LAFC group, 1-0. Both clubs then bowed out during the semifinal round.
Portland's 35th Open Cup appearance gets underway while the Oregonians join seven other MLS sides entering the current round of matches.
Playing to a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bull on Saturday, Portland has traveled across the country on short rest, prompting Savarese to announce he expects to rotate several starters out of the lineup.
The Timbers had not scored in seven consecutive halves before connecting on one at Red Bull Arena.
“If we bring the energy that we did in New York we're going to be very competitive,” Savarese said.
Both sides acknowledge the knockout nature of the format, including the potential for overtime and penalty kicks, does influence the attitude of these kinds of matches.