On Tuesday night either LAFC or the Philadelphia Union will become Major League Soccer’s representative in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League final, as the clubs return to the scene of their epic MLS Cup 2022 final for a semifinal leg-two showdown in the continental competition.
How to watch and stream
- English: FS1
- Spanish: TUDN
When
- Tuesday, May 2 | 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
Where
- BMO Stadium | Los Angeles, California
LAFC carry an away-goals advantage into BMO Stadium after last Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Subaru Park, but Philadelphia certainly aren’t out of the series. An away goal from the Union changes the advancement math after Leg 1, and they’ve scored three times in two of their last three visits to the Black & Gold’s home. Perhaps penalty kicks are called upon, like the Nov. 5 championship match these rivals played nearly six months ago.
As for the potential Liga MX foe awaiting whoever advances? That information won’t be known until Wednesday evening when Tigres UANL and Club León play their second leg at Estadio León. Tigres hold a 2-1 aggregate advantage after hosting the first leg last week.
Another quick note: LAFC and Philadelphia both had Matchday 10 byes, so there won't be heavy legs from league games over the weekend.
LAFC, the last undefeated team (5W-0L-3D) this MLS season, are on the verge of their second CCL final in four years. That’s the byproduct of Kellyn Acosta’s rollercoaster-esque leg-one experience, conceding a late penalty kick and then scoring a stoppage-time equalizer to give the defending MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield winners an away-goals advantage (1-1 aggregate).
The Black & Gold technically can advance with a 0-0 draw, but it’s not necessarily the club’s identity to grind out a result like that. Instead, odds are head coach Steve Cherundolo tries to get DP forwards Carlos Vela and Dénis Bouanga firing and create some distance in the aggregate scoreline.
LAFC, who lost the 2020 CCL final to Tigres UANL, will also have an enviable amount of depth and a boisterous home crowd putting wind in their sails. Sum it all together and they’re likely the favorite to punch a ticket into this year’s CCL final, a two-legged affair that awaits May 31 and June 4.
Philadelphia have never beaten LAFC (0W-2L-4D all-time record) and have earned draws in their three last trips to BMO Stadium (MLS Cup 2022 was decided on PKs after a 3-3 tie). That former part is cause for concern, but it’s the latter part that offers hope.
While the Union would prefer an outright win, a 2-2 draw (or greater scoreline) does the trick as well. That’s because CCL utilizes the away-goals rule, and head coach Jim Curtin’s team would surpass LAFC in that metric after last week’s 1-1 draw in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia are slightly handicapped, though, as it was disclosed Monday that defensive midfielder José Martínez will miss Wednesday’s second leg with a hamstring injury. Perhaps Leon Flach, Jack McGlynn or Andrés Perea slot into the No. 6 role that’s so vital to the Union’s 4-4-2 diamond formation.
Facing a slight uphill climb to advance, the Union are on the doorstep of their first-ever CCL final. The club also made the CCL semifinals in 2020, but fell to Mexico’s Club América.
