LAFC hosts Austin FC at BMO Stadium on Wednesday night. It's one of three matches in eight days for the club, and only five regular-season games remain, according to a preview from LAFC.com. LAFC is sixth in the Western Conference at 11W-9L-9D with 42 points. Austin is 13th at 7W-11L-10D with 31 points and is trying to climb into the West's top nine to earn an MLS Cup Playoffs berth.
Xavi Tamarit made his debut as LAFC's interim head coach on Saturday in a 1-1 home draw with a 10-man Vancouver side. Young attackers Leo Walta and Thayllon made their LAFC debuts in that match, and midfielder Sergio Vásquez played his first game at BMO Stadium. Late last month, LAFC dismissed first-year head coach Marc Dos Santos. LAFC.com said a 7W-9L-8D run in MLS play contributed to that decision.
LAFC.com expects Tamarit to rotate the starting lineup or limit minutes against Austin. Denis Bouanga, Son Heung-Min, Eddie Segura, Ryan Porteous and Yevhen Cheberko all played the full 90 minutes against Vancouver. Sergi Palencia, Armindo Sieb and Vásquez each played more than 80. Walta came on late and played the final 27 minutes.
The teams last met on April 17 and drew 0-0 at Q2 Stadium. That result made LAFC the only club in MLS history to open a season with five consecutive clean sheets. The match came four days after LAFC advanced past Alajuelense in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
With Tamarit using him at center forward instead of on the left wing, Bouanga scored the 80th regular-season goal of his MLS career against Vancouver. It was a leaping header off a Palencia cross. Of the 123 goals he has scored for LAFC in all competitions since arriving in 2022, it was only his second header.
Bouanga is now one of four active players with 80 career regular-season goals. The others are Columbus' Josef Martínez (131), Nashville's Hany Mukhtar (96) and Vancouver's Brian White (94). Bouanga reached 80 in his 128th regular-season appearance. Of the four, only Martínez got there faster, in his 94th.
LAFC.com also reported that the club still believes this roster is talented and committed enough to make a deep run in next month's playoffs, despite a rough run of results since the summer's FIFA World Cup break.