Real Salt Lake will be without their most productive player as they search for a return to their high-scoring ways against what figures to be a determined Los Angeles FC squad on Wednesday.
The teams enter the midweek clash at Los Angeles as part of a three-way tie atop the Western Conference.
RSL (12-4-7, 43 points) has scored 48 goals this season, tied with the Portland Timbers for the most in the West.
When those clubs met Saturday in Portland, the Timbers won 3-0 to snap RSL’s 10-match road unbeaten streak, the second-longest in MLS history.
RSL now will be without Cristian Arango as he serves a four-game suspension for violation of the league’s anti-harassment policy. That suspension includes the MLS All-Star Game on July 24.
The suspension arose from a confrontation with players from both teams Saturday.
RSL forward Andres Gomez (yellow card accumulation) is out Wednesday and defender Gustin Glad (ankle) is questionable.
Arango leads MLS with 17 goals, three more than his closest pursuer. That mark is already tied for RSL’s single-season goals record with Alvaro Saborio, who set the mark in 2012.
Arango’s suspension comes as RSL has been held scoreless in three of their last six games, with two of those on the road.
“It’s really evident to me (that) when we play like a team, we’re a tough team to beat,” RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “However, when we play like individuals, we’re gonna get sliced through.”
LAFC (13-5-4, 43 points) enters after they were crushed 5-1 at home by the Columbus Crew on Saturday. LAFC trailed 3-0 after 60 minutes and never threatened.
The stunning result ended LAFC’s club-record 13-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and the club’s 10-game MLS unbeaten streak (9-0-1). LAFC was unbeaten in 16 consecutive home games across all competitions.
“For us, it was super disappointing for our fans and we don’t ever want to present ourselves like that at home again,” LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Sometimes it’s better to get it all out in one game and I’d rather lose 5-1 once than 1-0 four times or five times.”
The last time LAFC lost at home before Saturday was a 1-0 decision against RSL in October of last season.
Denis Bouanga leads LAFC with 14 goals and nine assists, while Mateusz Bogusz has 12 goals and six assists.
–Field Level Media