Preview | LAFC vs. Atlanta United - 2025 MLS Season

Sunday, Oct. 5 | 6:00 p.m. PT

🏟 | BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA

📻 | 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera (Spanish), & KYPA 1230 AM (Korean)

Riding a four-game win streak, and with four games remaining on its regular-season schedule, LAFC welcomes Atlanta United to BMO Stadium for a prime-time Sunday Night Soccer matchup that coincides with Fan Appreciation Night.

LAFC stands in fourth place in the Western Conference (15W-7L-8D), with games in hand on the top three teams and a seven-point lead over fifth-place Seattle. The top four teams in the West will earn home-field advantage in their respective Round One Best-of-3 Series in the MLS Cup Playoffs, which begin on October 25. LAFC has finished in the top four in each of the last three seasons, including two first-place finishes.

Atlanta United currently sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference (5W-14L-12D) and has been eliminated from playoff contention.

HEUNG-BOU DUO

LAFC forwards Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-Min have spearheaded the Black & Gold’s recent run of success, scoring 18 combined goals since Son’s debut in early August, with LAFC amassing a 5W-1L-2D record in that span.

Each of LAFC’s last 17 goals has been scored by either Bouanga or Son, the most consecutive goals by two teammates in MLS history. Son has scored eight goals in his eight appearances with the club, while Bouanga has scored nine in his last five matches.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Son’s 11 goal contributions (8g/3a) in 640 minutes translate to one every 58 minutes. League leader and reigning MLS MVP Lionel Messi has notched a goal contribution every 57 minutes.

After going goalless in his first six appearances this season, Bouanga has scored 23 goals in his last 23 MLS appearances. He trails MLS Golden Boot leader Messi by just one goal. Bouanga is currently tied for third in MLS with 31 goal contributions (23g/8a), trailing only Messi and Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC.

LAFC has scored 60 goals. Only Inter Miami (68) and Chicago (64) have scored more; both clubs have played more matches than LAFC.

GLOBE TROTTING

Son and Bouanga are expected to report to their respective national teams, South Korea and Gabon, following Sunday’s match. Bouanga has been a star for Gabon, which is seeking its first-ever berth in the FIFA World Cup. Son’s South Korea side has already qualified, along with LAFC midfielder Mathieu Choinière and Team Canada. Forward Nathan Ordaz is expected to join El Salvador during this international window as La Selecta competes for its second-ever World Cup bid.

DON’T FORGET THE DEFENDERS

Centerback Nkosi Tafari has started the last 14 matches for LAFC across all competitions and has played all 90 minutes in each match— more starts and minutes over that span than any other LAFC player.

Tafari has not only stepped in but excelled following season-ending injuries to centerback Aaron Long and defensive midfielder Igor Jesus. Those injuries precipitated centerback Eddie Segura’s move to the defensive midfield and allowed Scottish newcomer Ryan Porteous to step into Segura’s place and join Tafari on the back line.

Twenty-two-year-old left back Artem Smoliakov has contributed three assists in his last four appearances. Right back Sergi Palencia is second on the club in total appearances (behind Mark Delgado) and third in minutes played (behind Bouanga and Hugo Lloris) and has recorded eight assists over the last two seasons.

SCOUTING ATLANTA

Coached by Ronny Deila, Atlanta United has scored 37 goals and conceded 57 this season, and has won just one of its last 15 matches (1W-7L-7D). In their last outing, the Five Stripes fell 2-0 to New England, conceding in the 72nd and 75th minutes and coming up short in expected goals, 1.9 to 0.7.

Two matches ago, Atlanta played Western Conference leaders San Diego FC to a 1-1 draw in Atlanta.

Emmanuel Latte Lath leads Atlanta in goals scored (seven). Miguel Almirón and Saba Lobjanidze lead the club in assists (seven each).

ATLANTA UNITED CAN WIN IF

The lengthy flight west affords them a fresh mindset. The Five Stripes have won just one road match all season (1W-9L-5D), but that lone victory came one a month ago against playoff-bound Nashville. The quality is there.

LAFC CAN WIN IF

Its back-to-front synergy continues to build. From goalkeeper Lloris to scoring stars Son and Bouanga, the eleven that LAFC puts on the field each match has grown increasingly comfortable with one another, even when recent arrivals like Son, Porteous, attacker Andy Moran, and midfield multi-tasker Choinière are thrown into the mix. The result is a plus-23 goal differential that is tied for second best in MLS. Vancouver, which ranks first (plus-25), is also atop the conference standings— just four points ahead of the Black & Gold.