LOS ANGELES -- The attacking fireworks of Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min continued to shine last Saturday as LAFC picked up their fourth consecutive victory in a 3-0 shutout over St. Louis SC. Now, just four points out of first place in the Western Conference with four matches remaining, the Black and Gold will look to keep it rolling in prime time against Atlanta United.
At 15-7-8, the match presents another huge opportunity to climb the table against an Eastern Conference side that has struggled greatly this season. At 5-14-12, Atlanta has found just one victory across their last 15 matches, falling 2-0 to New England their last time out.
With just one road win under their belt this season, the Five Stripes face an uphill battle against a Los Angeles squad that boasts a 9-4-2 record at BMO Stadium. They will rely on the scoring of Emmanuel Latte Lath, whose seven goals lead Atlanta.
"We're in a very good moment to maximize points, and that's what we're trying to do," said head coach Steve Cherundolo on Friday. "But it's important not to get ahead of yourself and just focus on the next game. Our current challenge is Atlanta."
LAFC has games in hand against the top three teams in the West (San Diego, Vancouver, Minnesota), also holding a comfortable seven-point cushion over fifth-place Seattle. Every point matters as teams that finish with a top-four spot in their respective conferences will earn home-field advantage in their Round One Best-of-3 Series in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
However, Los Angeles will enter next week's matches shorthanded following their battle with Atlanta. Both Son and Bouanga are expected to report to their respective national teams, South Korea and Gabon, after Sunday's contest.
Gabon, led by Bouanga, is looking for its first-ever berth in the FIFA World Cup. Son's South Korean squad have already qualified alongside Canada and LAFC midfielder Mathieu Choinière. Forward Nathan Ordaz will also join El Salvador during the international window as he looks to help his country earn their second-ever bid to the World Cup.
Cherundolo understands that player absences due to international breaks is all part of the ebbs and flows of a season, but has no worries about fielding a squad that will be ready to compete nonetheless.
"We're always working to make sure that every player is ready when called upon," he said. "This international window is nothing new for us. We're ready for it."
LAFC will be tasked with finding other avenues to make up for the scoring that Bouanga and Son have continuously provided since taking the field as a duo. Since Son's debut, the pair have scored 18 combined goals and led the Black and Gold to a 5-1-2 record during that span.
Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
Each of Los Angeles' last 17 goals have been scored by either Bouanga or Son, marking the most consecutive goals by two teammates in MLS history. Bouanga's 23 scores trail only Messi as he looks to secure his second MLS Golden Boot.
"We can't always rely on these players to score goals because there will be games where luck doesn't fall for us," said LAFC defender Ryan Porteous. "Us defenders and midfielders need to chip in with more goals. We're very grateful for the goals they're scoring now, but we need to be there when luck isn't in their favor."
Porteous, one of the squad's recent additions, has slid into the lineup nicely along the back line following the injuries to both Aaron Long and Igor Jesus. He and the rest of the defense will certainly be called upon to generate some attacking with the absence of some big scoring pieces during the international window.
Another newcomer, Andy Moran, also understands the "next man up" mentality.
"I think we all know we've got to step up when we're missing players," he said. "It's a chance for the rest of us to step up and get us through that period where we won't have our full starting 11."
Fortunately, LAFC has fared quite well in the past against Atlanta. It's a side that Los Angeles has not lost to since 2021, going 2-2-2 against them all-time.
The season continues to dwindle down, and LAFC will step under the bright lights looking to continue their late-season push up the table. With a shorthanded week on deck, it's a big match as three crucial points hang up for grabs.
Where: BMO Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
When: Sunday, October 5 | Kickoff at 6:00 p.m. PT
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera (Spanish), and 1230 AM KYPA (Korean)