Los Angeles FC’s return to MLS play against Sporting Kansas City at home Sunday has taken on a whole new meaning with a LAFC set for an unprecedented opportunity in just over a week.

The matchup against Sporting KC is LAFC’s last chance to get some in-game preparation for a matchup with Chelsea of the English Premier League on June 16. It will be Chelsea’s opener of group play at the FIFA Club World Cup and take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Sunday’s MLS game comes just over a week after LAFC landed their spot in the Club World Cup with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Mexico’s Club America in a play-in contest. Igor Jesus tied the score 1-1 in the 89th minute and Denis Bouanga won it in the 25th minute of the 30-minute extra time.

“It was the goal that put Los Angeles on the front stage in the world,” said Bouanga, who has 80 goals scored with LAFC across all competitions in four years. “I had this rage in me. I wanted that.”

With LAFC (6-4-5, 23 points) on an eight-game unbeaten run in MLS play (3-0-5) now comes the challenge of not overlooking Sporting KC.

After a slow start to the season, SKC (4-8-4, 16 points) still remains under the playoff line but is on a four-match unbeaten run and went 2-1-4 in May.

SKC enters off a 3-1 victory on the road against the Houston Dynamo last Saturday, scoring their most goals in a win this season. Dejean Joveljic scored twice as the club improved to 4-3-3 under interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin.

“From day one, he’s been really an incredible worker,” Zavagnin said of Joveljic, who has a team-best nine goals this season after helping the Los Angeles Galaxy win the MLS Cup last season.

“He’s calm. He’s collective. He’s deadly. He’s persistent and despite the fact that he didn’t score a few goals as the season kicked off for us, he has certainly found his rhythm now.”

The teams met March 22 with LAFC earning a 2-0 victory on the road when David Martinez and Aaron Long scored goals.

–Field Level Media