Preview | LAFC vs. Toronto FC - 2025 MLS Season - October 8

Wednesday, Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. PT | Armenian Heritage Night

🏟 | BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA

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Winners of five straight matches by a combined 16-4 scoreline, LAFC welcomes Toronto FC to BMO Stadium for the Black & Gold’s final regular-season home game as it seeks to keep climbing the conference table.

With three games remaining, LAFC stands in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 16W-7L-8D record for 56 points. A win over Toronto would move LAFC past Minnesota United (58 points) and into third place, with a game in hand over the Loons as well as first-place San Diego FC.

LAFC’s 1-0 win over Atlanta United on Sunday night clinched a top-four finish in the West and home-field advantage in its Round One Best-of-3 Series in the MLS Cup Playoffs. LAFC is also assured of becoming the only team in MLS to finish in the top four in each of the last four seasons (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025).

Denis Bouanga’s 86th-minute matchwinner against Atlanta was his tenth goal in his last six games, and it tied him atop the MLS Golden Boot standings with Lionel Messi (24 goals each). Bouanga, however, will miss Wednesday’s match while he competes for his home country, Gabon, in World Cup Qualifying in Africa. His high-scoring teammate Son Heung-Min, who has scored eight goals in nine matches since joining LAFC in early August, will also be competing for his national team (South Korea) and is unavailable against Toronto.

Toronto FC (5W-13L-14D) has been eliminated from playoff contention but tied playoff-bound Chicago 2-2 on Saturday night, with midfielder Djordje Mihailovic scoring a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time.

NEXT MAN UP

In addition to the absences of Bouanga and Son, LAFC will be without midfielder Mathieu Choinière (Canada) and forward Nathan Ordaz (El Salvador), who will be competing for their national teams in advance of FIFA World Cup 26. The situation calls for a reimagined starting eleven, and presents an opportunity for less-heralded players to make their marks on LAFC’s late-season playoff push.

“We have plenty of players who can fill the void and show that they can help this team,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said after Sunday night’s win. “I'm really looking forward to seeing some of those performances on Wednesday.”

“Jeremy [Ebobisse] got in tonight,” Cherundolo continued. “We still have David Martínez who didn't get in tonight. Timmy Tillman has played an attacking role for us. Andy Moran is another option. [Yaw] Yeboah.” Cherundolo also mentioned Romanian winger Alex Bǎluțǎ and central midfielder Jailson—two recent acquisitions who have yet to make their MLS debuts—as options for Wednesday night as well for Sunday’s road match in Austin, when Bouanga, Son, Choinière, and Ordaz will still be competing abroad.

“Our primary focus right now is to get three points against Toronto,” Cherundolo said. “We will throw everything at Austin after that, but for now it's all about Toronto.”

SCOUTING TORONTO

Led by head coach Robin Fraser, Toronto extended the longest tie streak in MLS history with its dramatic 2-2 road draw against the Chicago Fire on Saturday evening, courtesy of Mihailovic’s equalizer in the 100th minute. The Reds have tied their last eight matches in a row, including draws against playoff-bound clubs Inter Miami, Columbus Crew (twice), and Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union.

Toronto has scored the second-fewest goals in MLS this season (33 goals in 32 games) but its defense, led by centerback Jack Elliott, has allowed the fifth-fewest goals (40).

Forward Theo Corbeanu leads the Reds in goals with six. Mihailovic and Jonathan Osorio are the top assist men with three each. Mihailovic has recorded five goal contributions (2g/3a) in eight matches since joining Toronto FC from Colorado in August.

Former LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes—who made 102 regular-season appearances in Black & Gold from 2020 to 2023 and played a pivotal role in the club’s MLS Cup title in ‘22—has started four straight games for Toronto since arriving on loan last month from Rangers FC of the Scottish Premiership.

Veteran goalkeeper and 2021 MLS Cup MVP Sean Johnson is enjoying one of the finest seasons in his 15-year MLS career, conceding just 37 goals in 29 starts.

TORONTO CAN WIN IF

Mihailovic keeps the ship steady. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder, who has earned more than 10 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team, joined Toronto two months ago in a cash trade with the Rapids, and has started all eight games during the Reds’ unbeaten streak. He has missed only 14 minutes in that span, bringing stability and an attacking threat to a side that needed both. Mihailovic has harmed LAFC previously, scoring twice against the Black & Gold in a Concacaf Champions Cup match in February of this year, and twice in a regular-season match in 2024.

LAFC CAN WIN IF

Its defense continues to minimize chances. LAFC has allowed a total of 16 shots on goal during its five-game winning streak—and no more than four in a single game. Smothering opponents before they can shoot is the main reason the club has not allowed a goal in its last 256 minutes of play. That approach will be especially relevant with its top two scorers on international duty.

Look for LAFC’s back line and its leader Hugo Lloris – one of two MLS goalkeepers with 10 or more clean sheets in each of the last two seasons – to help the club keep possession and maintain control while its young attackers grow into the game.