MLS Cup finalists will be determined Sunday with three of the top four overall playoff seeds heading into conference finals action.
Supporters’ Shield winners Los Angeles FC and close runner-up Philadelphia Union, are fighting to make their first MLS Cup final appearance, but will need to avoid any slip-ups on home soil.
Defending champion New York City FC is still alive and heads into Subaru Park for a rematch of a thrilling Eastern Conference final match from 2021. The Union will look forward to getting a fair shot after losing more than half of its starting lineup to COVID-19 protocols in last year’s loss.
As for Austin FC, the Western Conference finalist can continue its run in its first-ever playoff appearance. Josh Wolff’s side hits the road for the first time in these playoffs, while LAFC is riding a high from a late 3-2 win over the LA Galaxy in the previous round.
LAFC vs. Austin FC
Sunday, 3 p.m., ABC
Steve Cherundolo and Josh Wolff have led remarkable turnovers for their respective sides in 2022. LAFC and Austin FC have been battling atop the Western Conference all year, and the series comes to a head at Banc of California Stadium in this showdown.
LAFC fullbacks Ryan Hollingshead and Diego Palacios are two of the top-performing fullbacks in the league. They will contend with Diego Fagundez, Ethan Finlay, and the roaming threat of Sebastian Driussi.
Austin FC central midfielder Daniel Pereira put in an excellent shift in a 2-1 win over FC Dallas in the previous round. The matchup between Pereira and Alex Ring against LAFC’s Kellyn Acosta should be an indicator of which team is able to dictate the match and create the most chances.
Austin has had the upper hand in 2022, with two season-defining regular season wins over LAFC signifying the club’s progress. Fagundez has recorded one goal and two assists in two matches against LAFC this season, while Maxi Urruti scored twice in a 4-1 win over the Supporters’ Shield winners in August.
Union vs. NYCFC
Sunday, 8 p.m., FS1, FOX Deportes
NYCFC won the 2021 MLS Cup in Portland after a triumph at Subaru Park in the previous round. The Union put up a valiant fight, but missing 11 total players and six starters, didn’t give the eventual champions their toughest matchup.
This time, the Union will get a fair shot at their first MLS Cup appearance in club history. Jim Curtin’s side picked up steam in the second half of the season, with the three-headed monster of Julian Carranza, Daniel Gazdag and Mikael Uhre combining for 39 total goals.
Veteran midfielder Alejandro Bedoya is expected to play a role for the Union after missing the 1-0 semifinal victory over FC Cincinnati.
NYCFC enters this match as decided underdogs, but had no issue defeating CF Montreal by making their few offensive chances count. NYCFC dipped in form after what seemed to be crippling departures of top scorer Valentin Castellanos and MLS Cup-winning coach Ronny Deila, but the adjustments of interim coach Nick Cushing are allowing the team’s remaining talent to thrive.
NYCFC fans will be concerned with the team’s health, however. Key veterans Maxi Moralez and Maxime Chanot are dealing with respective injuries from the semifinal round, while Tayvon Gray also remains injured. Santiago Rodriguez, Heber, and Talles Magno will all be fighting to get amongst the goals for NYCFC and get after a stubborn Union backline which has been immaculate all season.
The Union come into the match with a clean bill of health. Union defender Jakob Glesnes won the league’s Defender of the Year award and leads a unit that has allowed by far the fewest goals in MLS.