Atlanta United is in the middle of a three-match road stretch and this weekend the team travels out West to take on LAFC. After last week’s loss at New England, the 5-Stripes are looking to get back in the win column against one of the best teams in the league. LAFC are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, looking to keep momentum and stay in the top-four to have home field advantage in the playoffs. For Atlanta, this weekend is another opportunity to pick up a road win in a tough environment. Let’s take a look at the Tools to the Match presented by Home Depot against LAFC.
Put together a complete 90 minutes
Atlanta has shown throughout the season that on any given day it can play with the top teams in the league. The team defeated FC Cincinnati, Orlando City SC and won at Nashville earlier this year, all playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. The 5-Stripes have also had many games this year where they have outplayed teams for 30-45 minutes at a time in matches. But they need to put together a complete 90-minute effort in order to get a victory at LAFC this Sunday night. If they can have defensive consistency and take advantage of chances in the attack, three points could be coming home to Atlanta on Sunday.
It’s always “Sonny” in L.A.
The biggest summer signing of 2025 in MLS has made an immediate impact for LAFC. Son Heung-Min, the South Korean captain and former Tottenham Hotspur legend, has scored eight goals and added three assists in just 640 minutes of play. He’s made an instant connection with LAFC’s other superstar, Denis Bouanga, who has found his MLS Best XI form again this year. He has netted 23 goals and added eight assists. Especially in transition moments, LAFC’s attack is among the best in MLS. Atlanta, which conceded a transition goal last weekend, needs to be aware of those transition moments and try to eliminate them as much as possible.
Convert crosses into goals
Atlanta has made a concerted effort to get into wide areas and deliver crosses into the box during open play. In fact, the 5-Stripes rank third in open play crosses in all of MLS with 289 through 31 matches. One of the areas where Atlanta has to improve is converting those crosses into goals. The team has scored seven goals from open play crosses this year and four goals from corner kicks. If Atlanta can convert those crosses into goals this weekend at a higher clip, it will give itself a chance to steal three points from LAFC.
Fans can tune in on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV on Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. ET when the action kicks off at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. To hear the action on radio, tune into Sports Radio 92.9 The Game (English) or La Mejor – AM 1600 (Spanish).
