Disheartening loss in St. Louis leaves LAFC stumbling

Heading into Wednesday, LAFC had not matched its active two-game losing streak since June 2025 during the FIFA Club World Cup. The streak ultimately extended to three, however, in a 2-1 loss to St. Louis City SC at Energizer Park that brought them to 6-4-3 this season.

St. Louis picked up its first-ever victory against Los Angeles in the process after going winless through the first seven matches between the two clubs. It was only their third win of the year after heading into the match sitting 14th on the Western Conference table.

Head coach Marc Dos Santos spoke postgame about the physical toll that his players have taken over the first portion of 2026. Playing twice a week for the past 10 weeks has been hard, he said, but he knows his team has to push until the World Cup break.

"None of our players right now are at 100%, and it's just a reality that we're facing," he said. "But for me to see a group of guys that, after the last two games, come here and dictate the play...and still leave here without one point, it's not deserving for this group."

L.A. quickly fell behind after defender Tomas Totland put midfielder Eduard Löwen's assist past Hugo Lloris in the 4th minute. It was just the second goal across all competitions for Totland this season and his first in league play.

After both teams fell quiet for the remainder of the opening half, St. Louis once again struck in the 64th minute. Defender Rafael Santos, who came off the bench, also managed to score his first goal of the season. Forward Sergio Córdova's cross found open space after an initial LAFC deflection, leaving Santos to finish from close range and double the lead.

David Martínez helped provide the answer just nine minutes later, delivering his eighth goal across all competitions. Nkosi Tafari sent a long pass across the pitch, perfectly leading Martínez into space as he lifted a chip shot over St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Bürki. 

Dos Santos said after the match that Martínez, who was kept out of the starting XI, was not at 100% health-wise.

"It's important to keep good vibes in the locker room," Martínez said. "I think this is an opportunity for us to come together as a family. It may not be the easiest thing to participate in two tournaments simultaneously and have a match every three days, but that's just the situation we've been in."

LAFC had its opportunities to break even down the stretch, but could not convert. Bürki was able to compile some impressive saves for St. Louis, including a diving stop in the 81st minute to deny Aaron Long and preserve the lead.

With the losing streak up to three, the Black & Gold will remain on the road for a matchup with Nashville SC on Sunday evening. Nashville currently sits atop the Eastern Conference at 8-3-1, and has gone without a loss in league play since April 4.

Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PT.