A quality matchup between two teams in the top five of the Western Conference standings takes place Saturday when the San Jose Earthquakes host Los Angeles FC in Santa Clara, Calif.
LAFC (5-0-3, 18 points) are the only team in the league without a defeat so far this season. The defending MLS Cup champions have played just eight games because of a heavy CONCACAF Champions League schedule, which contributed to MLS postponing LAFC’s scheduled regular-season match against the Houston Dynamo last weekend.
After steamrolling three teams in aggregate-goal series to advance to the CONCACAF Champions League final, LAFC face another postponement of its May 31 game against St. Louis City SC and a match against Atlanta United the following week to play in the two-leg final against Club Leon of Mexico on May 31 and June 4.
Forward Denis Bouanga has been a force this season with a team-high seven goals.
“It’s really focusing on what’s next. There’s always room for improvement,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “From Day 1 of last season, also this season, we’ve made it very clear in the locker room that we’re going to need every single player.”
The Earthquakes (4-3-3, 15 points) have been better than expected this season, in no small part because of the play of April’s MLS Player of the Month, Cristian Espinoza.
Espinoza already has six goals and three assists this season. He and Bouanga are two of the top players in MLS and will go share a pitch Saturday in front of what could be upward of 40,000 fans at Levi’s Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
“I’m a person who firmly believes that work and effort always end up paying off,” the native of Argentina told the MLS website. “I think right now, after such a long time and so much work, things are coming together for me.”
–Field Level Media