Head-to-head info
LAFC has been the more dominant side in this matchup, going 10-5-5 in 20 meetings. They’ve notched back-to-back regular-season victories over the Whitecaps, beating them 3-0 on home soil back in May. There will be a plethora of players missing due to the international break, so the outcome could be unpredictable. We’ll get into that more below.
Whitecaps looking for better playoff seeding
Vancouver has already clinched their spot in the playoffs but with two games to go, it comes down to trying to lock down the best possible seeding. The Whitecaps are only three points behind sixth-place Colorado with a game in hand. They can move up with a victory on Sunday at home in front of the Vancouver faithful.
However, there are some notable absences. Six players are currently on international duty – Sam Adekugbe, Ali Ahmed, Ryan Gauld, Pedro Vite, Andres Cubas, and Fafa Picault. Gauld is the most notable absence, scoring nine goals and supplying 12 assists this term. His presence in the final third will be sorely missed here. Brian White, their leading scorer with 15 goals to his name, needs to be at his absolute best.
The Whitecaps have gone 13-11-8 this season but have been struggling as of late. They’re winless in the last five outings, losing back-to-back matches to the Seattle Sounders and Minnesota United. Vancouver failed to score in both games while conceding a total of four times. Missing numerous players won’t help here. The ‘Caps are a slim underdog on Sunday at soccer betting sites.
LAFC is a serious contender
Los Angeles has been a solid club since they arrived in the MLS and 2024 has been no different. Steve Cherundolo’s side already won the MLS Cup in 2022 and consistently finds themselves in the latter stages of the playoffs. LAFC owns a 17-8-7 record for a total of 58 points, sitting six behind the Galaxy. They’ve bagged 58 goals in 32 games while allowing 41.
LA has quite the duo up top. Denis Bouanga has 19 goals and nine assists, while Mateusz Bogusz has scored 14 and set up another six. As you can see, these two have accounted for most of LAFC’s goals. The visitors happen to come into this matchup in solid form, winning three in a row against Cincinnati St. Louis City, and Sporting KC.
Last Saturday, they beat KC 3-0, with goals from David Martinez, Cristian Olivera, and Aaron Long. Bouanga tallied an assist. Los Angeles hasn’t played as well on the road however, posting a 7-6-3 record compared to 10-2-4 on home soil. They faced the Whitecaps in the Leagues Cup in July and lost in a shootout. With Seattle and Salt Lake sitting on 56 points, it’s vital to get a result here. LA is sitting at +130 odds at Sports Interaction.
