Key events
The teams are out
The fireworks are fireworking, Max Bretos and Brian Dunseth are on my TV (and perhaps yours), and this game is inching ever closer to kickoff.
Predictions!
Let’s get ‘em in! Who do you think will win this game to qualify for the Club World Cup?
And how do you think they’ll do once they’re in the CWC?
Club América’s starting XI
The personnel would indicate they may line up ina 4-4-2, similar to how Las Aguilas did in the Liga MX Luigilla semifinal v Cruz Azul. Assuming that’s the case, it’s:
Luis Malagón in goal, with Israel Reyes, Sebastián Cáceres, Kevin Álvarez, and Cristian Borja along the backline.
Álvaro Fidalgo, Alan Cervantes, Érick Sánchez, and Alejandro Zendejas are in the midfield, with Víctor Dávila and Rodrigo Aguirre leading the line up top.
As a reminder….
The winner of this one will head into Group D of the Club World Cup, where they’ll open the tournament v Chelsea in Atlanta in just over two weeks’ time. No pressure!
The winner will also get a cool $9.5m for qualifying for Gianni Infantino’s new favorite tournament. Not bad!
Reports from the ground indicate that support might lean toward Club América, even in LAFC’s own building. The initial selection of photos from the stadium seem to support that.
LAFC’s starting XI
LAFC has named their starting XI for the match, and there aren’t any huge surprises here.
Hugo Lloris starts in goal, with Sergi Palencia, Ulises Segura, Aaron Long and Ryan Hollingshead from right to left along the backline.
Igor Jesus will play as the No 6 with Timothy Tillman and Mark Delgado ahead of him.
Denis Bouanga, Nathan Ordaz and Jeremy Ebobisse are up top.
The pregame scene outside of BMO Stadium. I can smell the tacos from here. Can you?
How to watch
A good question! In the US, you can see this one on TBS in English, and on UniMás in Spanish.
Globally, including in the UK, Canada, Mexico, the game can be seen on DAZN. They will also carry the entire rest of this summer’s Club World Cup.
LAFC’s form
LAFC has been in really good, but not outsstanding form of late. The team hasn’t lost since 9 April’s 3-1 result v Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup, but have only won three of their last eight games. The other five have all been high-scoring draws.
In total, LAFC has managed to give up 12 goals in 8 games and not lose any of those games. Maybe not the best omen for a one-off knockout match, but impressive nonetheless!
So…what’s the deal with this game anyway?
Oddly enough, it all started in Costa Rica. That’s the home country of the club Alajuelense, who filed the first petition to remove either Club León or Pachuca from the competition, despite both being fair-and-square winners the Concacaf Champions Cup. Alajuelense’s reasoning: both teams are owned by Grupo Pachuca, which violates the Club World Cup’s rules against multi-club ownership within the competition.
The matter was raised all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), who ruled that León should be removed from the competition, while also dismissing Alajuelense’s claims to replace them.
In their place, Fifa decided on a playoff between LAFC and Club América, based on regional ranking and, in LAFC’s case, being the team that León defeated in the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup final to qualify for the tournament in the first place.
It’s complicated. More details here:
Club América’s form
Club América is just coming off the disappointment of losing the Liga MX Liguilla final to Toluca, so they’ll be well-practiced for a playoff situation.
