LAFC and Austin FC kick off the Round of 32 in the 2024 Leagues Cup when the two MLS Western Conference opponents clash on Wednesday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Austin arrives with a 2-0-0 record after winning the West 1 group against Liga MX clubs CF Monterrey and Pumas UNAM. LAFC finished second in West 7, against Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Club Tijuana, but will host based on its place in the Leagues Cup Ranking Table.
“We faced two of the very best,” said Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff. “We handled ourselves really well at home. For doing that, we go to LAFC and now compete against the best in MLS. I think it's an awesome opportunity to go on the road and perform in a way that hopefully we can give ourselves a chance to win.”
On Wednesday, a growing rivalry between Austin FC and LAFC will add a new chapter. Austin FC’s inaugural MLS match in 2021 was against LAFC. The two clubs battled throughout 2022 for the top spot in the Western Conference, with ATX sweeping the regular season series until LAFC won in the MLS Cup Playoffs on the way to its first league title.
“We've been there,” said Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver. “We played that game before, so we just got to go there with the right mentality, the right attitude, kind of what you've seen the past two games, and we'll be able to compete.”
The Texas club added reinforcements in the past months in Ghanaian winger Osman Bukari, Danish defender Mikkel Desler and Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Svatok. All three have made the gameday roster during the Leagues Cup, with Svatok waiting to make his debut.
The Black and Gold, however, have taken the headlines this summer due to the signing of French striker Olivier Giroud. The former Premier League man has joined his new team in training but is not expected to make his debut just yet. He will be available if needed in the later rounds, should LAFC advance.
“The expectations are to advance,” said LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo. “I know it's a difficult task against an Austin team that has added some new players and are in good form, and so it's a tough task, but our expectations are to advance.”
The meetings between the clubs in 2023 went LAFC’s way as the Verde missed the MLS Cup Playoffs. This year, the rivalry may have been relit as LAFC forward Kei Kamara struck in the 90th minute to take a 1-1 draw in Austin last June.
“I don't think the way the game finished over there, they were happy about that,” said Kamara. “I think they've been playing a bit different and getting better results. I'm sure they're thinking the same, coming here, coming to our house, and, make it difficult on us and try to get something away from it.”
“It was a heartbreaker for us, giving up that goal late,” said Stuver. “They know us. They know what we're capable of. We've played enough games that have meaning, and they've also been on the other side of it when they do take it lightly, what can happen when we play against them. So I'm fully expecting them to come out full force and, like every other MLS team, we want to win this tournament.”
