April 25, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
MLS Cup Rematch: LAFC and Philadelphia Union Meet in CCL Semifinal
After producing one of the most dramatic MLS Cups in league history, Los Angeles Football Club and the Philadelphia Union will now faceoff in the two-leg Semifinals of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.
The first leg is set for this Wednesday with a home game for Philadelphia at Subaru Park (9 p.m. ET, FS1). The Union have been a near impenetrable force at home over the last two seasons, with just one loss in their last 28 home games.
Philadelphia’s offensive trident of forward Mikael Uhre, forward Julián Carranza, and midfielder Dániel Gazdag have been at their best at Subaru Park, scoring 39 of their combined 60 MLS goals in front of the Philadelphia faithful.
However, LAFC won’t make the first game easy. Star forward Dénis Bouanga has been automatic in front of goal, scoring 12 times in 12 appearances across all competitions, including two against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the quarterfinals. Talismanic forward Carlos Vela has also come to life in recent weeks, scoring four goals over his last three appearances in all competitions.
The reigning MLS Cup and Supporters Shield winners LAFC have eyes set on another championship in their first Champions League run since the team reached the Champions League Final in 2020.
The Union, who were on the road in the raucous environment of BMO Stadium for MLS Cup 2022, will look to give LAFC a dose of their own home cooking come Wednesday evening.
The second leg will be played at BMO Stadium on Tuesday, May 2 at 10 p.m. ET.
Top Teams in Supporters’ Shield Race Collide in Battle Between
Two Top MLS Coaches
Through nine games, the New England Revolution and FC Cincinnati sit tied atop the Supporters’ Shield standings, which sets the stage for a crucial three points when these sides meet at Gillette Stadium on Matchday 10 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
Bruce Arena and the Revolution are back in the hunt for the Shield after claiming the title in 2021, bringing Arena’s career total to four Supporters’ Shields with three different clubs. The 2023 Revolution have a different feel to their early-season success than previous Arena-led squads, though, as young players are flourishing in the starting lineup in place of experienced MLS veterans. The Homegrown midfield duo of Noel Buck and Esmir Bajraktarevic impressed Arena during preseason and have broken into the starting lineup on multiple…
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