In a highly anticipated Major League Soccer clash, Los Angeles FC will visit Q2 Stadium to take on Austin FC on Thursday.
LAFC is in exceptional form, aiming for their seventh consecutive league win, while Austin FC is struggling to regain their early-season momentum after three straight losses.
Current Form
Austin FC
Austin FC had a promising start to the season, securing 22 points from their first 14 games, including six victories.
However, recent weeks have been challenging. The Verde and Black have only managed one point in their last four matches, slipping to eighth place in the Western Conference.
Their recent defeats include a 2-0 loss to Portland Timbers, a 5-1 thrashing by Real Salt Lake, and a 2-0 defeat to Colorado Rapids.
Los Angeles FC
Contrarily, Los Angeles FC is in outstanding form. After a mixed start to the season, they have turned their fortunes around with six consecutive league wins and eight across all competitions.
Notable victories include triumphs over Vancouver Whitecaps, St Louis City, and a 3-1 win against Orlando City.
LAFC is now second in the Western Conference, just one point behind Real Salt Lake with a game in hand.
Team News
Austin FC
Austin FC will be missing key players Julio Cascante and Daniel Pereira, who are on international duty. Leo Vaisanen is expected to replace Cascante in defence, while Jhojan Valencia and Alexander Ring will anchor the midfield.
Up front, Diego Rubio will likely lead the attack, supported by Owen Wolff, Jader Obrian, and Sebastian Driussi, Austin's top scorer this season with five goals.
Los Angeles FC
LAFC will be without young attacker Cristian Olivera, who is representing Uruguay at Copa America.
However, they will likely field a strong lineup with Denis Bouanga, who has scored 12 goals and provided seven assists this season.
Veteran Kei Kamara is expected to lead the line, flanked by Mateusz Bogusz and Bouanga.
The midfield trio of Eduard Atuesta, Timothy Tillman, and Ilie Sanchez will provide stability, with Aaron Long and Jesus Murillo partnering in defence in front of Hugo Lloris.
Prediction
Given the contrasting forms of both teams, Los Angeles FC is favoured to get the win here.
Their defensive solidity and attacking prowess make them pretty formidable opponents.
We predict a 2-0 win for Los Angeles FC, extending their winning streak and solidifying their position at the top of the conference.
Austin 
Los Angeles FC 
