LAFC supporters felt the need to limit their expectations going into the Club World Cup when they found out that Premier League powerhouse Chelsea FC was their first match.
LAFC has been a solid team in the MLS so far; they are competing for a top spot in the Western Conference just halfway through the grueling regular season. They have had their ups and downs, but have maintained the reality of being in the mix for the MLS Cup this season.
Joining the Club World Cup as the third MLS team was not something that was expected. A surprise removal of a Ligue MX side created a qualifying game between Club America and LAFC.
The spectacular finish by LAFC opened the door to the Club World Cup, creating dream matches that LAFC supporters have only dreamed of. Let’s take a deep dive into their loss against Chelsea and a look at their next group stage match.
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Takeaways against Chelsea FC
LAFC held their own against a strong Chelsea side, though it may not have looked pretty; they kept up with a big-money club. LAFC was expected to get blown out by Chelsea, holding on and losing by two goals is an impressive result for the MLS side.
Only one player on LAFC had a rating over seven, Timothy Tillman held down the midfield with the team’s highest rating, and was one of, if not the best player on the field for LAFC.
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris had a low rating of 6.07 despite his efforts in the net to keep LAFC at a reasonable distance from Chelsea.
The offense was unable to create a stable attack and provide any goal support. This was also due to LA being on their heels defending most of the game. They have a reasonable attacking threat in MLS play, unfortunately for LAFC, it could not translate when facing a top European squad.
LAFC played hard, and it should be remembered that they played right with Chelsea for 90 minutes. Despite their effort, LAFC was outmatched and ended up with an expected result.
Preview vs Tunis
LAFC plays against Tunisian side Esperance De Tunisie, which is a strong club with a rich history that cannot be overlooked in this group stage match.
LAFC can win this game; it will be a challenge for this squad to earn the win against Tunis, who will be looking for revenge after their 2-0 defeat in their first game.
They fell to CR Flamengo, who is considered the second-best team in this group. If LAFC can create more chances in the attack, they can provide issues for Tunis in their back line. This is a winnable game for the MLS side as they look to be the first American club to earn a win in this competition.
A win will be needed if LAFC wants to keep playing with real stakes on the line. A draw would put points next to their name, and it would also keep them out of the race to escape group play.
The round to the knockout round starts with a win against Tunis; anything less will be the unofficial end of LAFC and their run in the Club World Cup.
Main Photo
- Credit IMAGO / Xinhua
Recording Date 06/16/2025