Austin FC face Los Angeles FC this Sunday at Q2 Stadium in a match with major postseason implications. The Texas side heads in under pressure to lock in a direct playoff spot, while the Californians aim to keep their winning streak alive and stay in the hunt for the top spots in Major League Soccer.
Austin under pressure to avoid trouble
Austin sit sixth in the Western Conference with 44 points (12 wins, 12 losses, 8 draws). Even with their postseason berth already secured, the team’s recent form has dipped. They’ve lost three straight matches, including the US Open Cup final to Nashville SC. They also have the weakest attack in the West with just 35 goals in 32 matches. Defensively, though, they’ve been solid, conceding only 43 goals, the fifth-best mark in the conference. That stability has a lot to do with Brad Stuver and Guilherme Biro, who both earned MLS All-Star honors this season. Biro, in fact, scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over LAFC in the first meeting between the two teams back in 2025.
For this match, head coach Nico Estévez has to deal with key absences. Top scorer Myrto Uzuni is away with Albania, which likely opens the door for 21-year-old CJ Fodrey to step in up front. He’s made 20 appearances this season, mostly off the bench. Dani Pereira, Oleksandr Svatok, and Julio Cascante are also out on international duty. For Austin, this is a must-get result at home to avoid depending on other teams’ results in the final stretch.
LAFC chasing the top despite absences
LAFC arrive in completely different form. They’re third in the West with 59 points (17 wins, 7 losses, 8 draws) and riding a six-game winning streak. Their attack is one of the most dangerous in MLS, with 63 goals, third-most in the league. But head coach Steve Cherundolo is also without several key players. Denis Bouanga (24 goals), Son Heung-min (8 goals), Nathan Ordaz (5 goals), and Mathieu Choinière (1 goal) are all away with their national teams. In total, that’s 38 goals and 16 assists missing from their lineup.
Still, LAFC proved they can adapt. Earlier this week, Jeremy Ebobisse and Frankie Amaya scored in a 2–0 win over Toronto FC. Ebobisse has four goals this season, all of them directly impacting the outcome of games. Their current run underlines LAFC’s goal: finishing the regular season near the top to secure home-field advantage in the playoffs. They’re still within striking distance of the leaders, and a good result in Austin would keep them right in the mix.