The last of the four Major League Soccer knockout-round contests is your prototypical David versus Goliath clash.
Mostly everyone expect third-seeded LAFC to overpower No. 6 seed Real Salt Lake at Banc of California Stadium on Thursday night, but now is not the time to sleep on the Claret and Cobalt.
Bob Bradley’s expansion side enters in better form, despite falling short on Sunday against Sporting Kansas City.
Mike Petke’s young RSL side was handed a second life by the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, as they beat the LA Galaxy to secure RSL’s spot in the postseason.
Season Series
LAFC won its two regular-season games against RSL by a combined 7-1 score, with March 10’s 5-1 win at Rio Tinto Stadium being the more emphatic of the two victories.
Players to Watch
LAFC: Adama Diomande
After setting MLS ablaze in his first two months as an LAFC player, Adama Diomande’s scoring rate has dropped significantly.
The former Hull City player rallied toward the end of the season by scoring three goals in a two-game stretch, but the expansion franchise still needs more consistency out of him in the final third.
Thursday marks the first meeting between Diomande and RSL, which means there will be a feeling out process between both camps.
If Diomande is able to pounce on a mistake early, LAFC could be rolling into the Western Conference semifinals. However, if he isn’t able to get going in the final third, RSL holds a better chance of pulling off the upset.
Real Salt Lake: Albert Rusnak
Albert Rusnak hasn’t contributed directly to a RSL goal since September 1.
The Slovakian playmaker, who has been in the middle of a contract dispute with the club, needs to show up on Thursday to give RSL a fighting chance.
If Rusnak is up for the game, he’ll be able to cut through tight spaces in the LAFC defense and set up Joao Plata, Damir Kreilach and Jefferson Savarino with quality chances.
Matchup to Watch
Steven Beitashour and Jordan Harvey vs. Joao Plata and Jefferson Savarino
Steven Beitashour and Jordan Harvey are two of the most experienced players on any playoff roster.
The LAFC fullbacks will be tasked with containing the runs made on the flanks by Plata and Savarino, who need to use their speed to their advantage against the wily pair of LAFC defenders.
If Beitashour and Harvey remain tactically sound and give up little space on the flanks, RSL will have a hard time generating chances.
Conversely, if Plata and Savarino are able to move freely within the final third, their link-up play with Rusnak could change the complexion of the contest.
X-Factors
LAFC: Eduard Atuesta
Eduard Atuesta is as close to a hard-nosed No. 6 as LAFC possesses in Bradley’s free-flowing system.
While his teammates are busy surging forward, Atuesta will be tasked with holding back and preventing any counters out of the speedy RSL midfielders.
Atuesta will also play an important role connecting the back four with Lee Nguyen and Benny Feilhaber, who will surge forward once they get the ball on their feet.
As long as Atuesta cleans up near midfield and takes risks at the right time, LAFC should remain compact tactically.
Real Salt Lake: Kyle Beckerman
One way for RSL to stay in the contest for as long as possible is to Concacaf the hell out of the game by breaking up any rhythm LAFC attempts to produce.
Kyle Beckerman is the perfect player to break up LAFC’s advances into the final third and force the home side out of a free-flowing style of play.
Beckerman is more than aware of the tendencies of Feilhaber and Nguyen, and if he is able to silence at least one of them, RSL’s young center backs can focus on shutting down Diomande and Carlos Vela without worrying about too much else.
Outlook
No matter which way you look at Thursday’s clash, LAFC is the overwhelming favorite.
Bradley has the more talented players at his disposal, and he has a collection of players with MLS postseason experience.
Before Sunday’s loss to Sporting KC, LAFC took seven points from three games and scored on nine occasions in that span.
Since RSL can’t afford to play from behind, LAFC must take advantage of the first 15 minutes and produce a tally to kill off any hope RSL had a chance of snatching.
For RSL’s young back line, the first half will be a trial by fire. If Petke, who has been in this situation plenty of times as a player and coach, is able to properly prepare the young defense for the threat LAFC poses, the visiting side stands a chance.
However, RSL’s defense can’t make a wrong move in the first half, or else one of LAFC’s experienced attackers will take advantage and start putting together an insurmountable deficit for RSL to make up.
There’s a path for RSL to challenge LAFC for 90 minutes or more, but eventually the expansion side’s talent will run the show and set up a star-studded clash with the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference semifinal.