Matchday

LAFC vs. Philadelphia Union: How to watch & stream, preview of Concacaf Champions League game

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On Tuesday night either LAFC or the Philadelphia Union will become Major League Soccerā€™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:Ā FS1
  • Spanish:Ā TUDN

When

Where

  • BMO Stadium | Los Angeles, California

LAFC carry an away-goals advantage into BMO Stadium after last Wednesdayā€™s 1-1 draw at Subaru Park, but Philadelphia certainly arenā€™t out of the series. An away goal from the Union changes the advancement math after Leg 1, and theyā€™ve scored three times in two of their last three visits to the Black & Goldā€™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 wonā€™t be known until Wednesday evening when Tigres UANL and Club LeĆ³n play their second leg at Estadio LeĆ³n. 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. Thatā€™s the byproduct of Kellyn Acostaā€™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 Supportersā€™ Shield winners an away-goals advantage (1-1 aggregate).

The Black & Gold technically can advance with a 0-0 draw, but itā€™s not necessarily the clubā€™s identity to grind out a result like that. Instead, odds are head coach Steve Cherundolo tries to get DP forwards Carlos Vela and DĆ©nis 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 theyā€™re likely the favorite to punch a ticket into this yearā€™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 itā€™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. Thatā€™s because CCL utilizes the away-goals rule, and head coach Jim Curtinā€™s team would surpass LAFC in that metric after last weekā€™s 1-1 draw in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia are slightly handicapped, though, as it was disclosed Monday that defensive midfielder JosĆ© MartĆ­nez will miss Wednesdayā€™s second leg with a hamstring injury. Perhaps Leon Flach, Jack McGlynn or AndrĆ©s Perea slot into the No. 6 role thatā€™s so vital to the Unionā€™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 Mexicoā€™s Club AmĆ©rica.