Los Angeles FC finally found their scoring touch amid their crowded schedule and will try to gather momentum when they host FC Dallas on Saturday night.
LAFC (8-5-5, 29 points) earned a much-needed victory, 3-0, over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday to end a four-game winless streak (0-3-1) across all competitions. Two of the losses and the draw came last month in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The three-goal effort against Colorado arrived after LAFC scored just once during the winless streak. Denis Bouanga had a goal for LAFC on Wednesday and leads the club with nine goals in MLS play.
In addition to MLS games, LAFC has played CONCACAF Champions Cup and Club World Cup games, with Leagues Cup set to begin this month.
Starting with a CONCACAF Champions Cup game on Feb. 18, LAFC has played 28 matches already this year.
“When you’re winning games, that’s a great time to have a congested schedule because things are flowing and going in the right direction,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “So it’s important to get us going, get the ball rolling in the right direction.”
FC Dallas (5-9-6, 21 points) enter Saturday’s match on a three-game losing streak in which they have allowed multiple goals in each loss and nine total during the skid. Only two Western Conference teams — the LA Galaxy (42) and Sporting Kansas City (38) — have given up more goals than the 37 allowed by Dallas.
A 2-1 home loss to Minnesota United on July 4 left FC Dallas at 1-7-2 in home games this season.
“We’re going to look and figure out the best game plan as far as if we need to make personnel changes, if we need to make formation changes,” FC Dallas coach Eric Quill said after the most recent loss. “We’re going to look hard at it, look hard at the opponent. But I really don’t think it’s formation, I don’t think it’s tactics.”
Petar Musa leads Dallas with seven goals and Luciano Acosta has five this season.
–Field Level Media