LAFC and Austin FC kick off the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs on Wednesday night as they clash in Game 1 of their first round best-of-three series in the Western Conference.
Highlighted by Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga’s first playoff match together, LAFC enter as substantial favorites despite dropping points on the final two matchdays—their class and quality has shown through the tail end of the regular season.
Meanwhile, Austin FC are a team with a firm identity and one that knows how to win big games, as evidenced by their recent run to the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final. After that final match ended in heartbreak against Nashville SC, they are even more motivated to go on a run towards MLS Cup, channeling some of that same tournament energy.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to Game 1.
What Time Does LAFC vs. Austin FC Kick-Off?
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Stadium: BMO Stadium
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 29
- Kick-Off Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
LAFC vs. Austin FC Head-to-Head Record
- LAFC: 7 wins
- Austin FC: 4 wins
- Draws: 2
Previous meeting: Austin FC 1–0 LAFC (Oct. 12, 2025) - MLS regular season
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch LAFC vs. Austin FC on TV
LAFC Team News
LAFC enter the 2025 postseason brimming with confidence—they ended the year with six wins in their last eight games—and have been on an attack tear since Son Heung-min’s arrival in August. Since the South Korean superstar arrived, he has formed a potent partnership with LAFC legend Denis Bouanga, helping the two score a combined 20 goals as the best attacking duo in MLS.
Individually, Son has nine goals and two assists in his first nine MLS games, while his offensive outburst helped Bouanga to end the season on 24 goals, tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot race, only trailing Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, who scored 29.
With the confidence in the attacking pairing, LAFC will hope to outperform their third-place seeding in the playoffs, while also aiming for a title in the final few games under head coach Steve Cherundolo, who is set to leave at the end of the 2025 season.
While the Black and Gold fell to Austin FC in their last meeting, they did so without Son and Bouanga who were on international duty. Yet, the test will still be formidable, considering the run of seven wins, two draws and three losses since Son’s debut, they have yet to win against a top-eight team.
Availability-wise, LAFC will be able to turn to all players outside of Odin Holm, as well as Igor Jesus and Aaron Long, who are both out for the remainder of the season.
Off the pitch, it was also a big week for LAFC as Son captured the 2025 MLS Goal of the Year Award, and earned a nod as an MLS Newcomer of the Year finalist.
LAFC Predicted Lineup v Austin FC
LAFC predicted lineup vs. Austin FC (4-3-3): Lloris; Palencia, Porteous, Tafari, Hollingshead; Delgado, Segura, Choiniere; Tillman, Son, Bouanga.
Austin FC Team News
Austin are a solid team around the park that can stay in the game, capable of turning it on in the blink of an eye thanks to a moment of magic from one of Mytro Uzuni up top or from Owen Wolff in midfield.
Wolff, in particular, has thrived in the second half of the season, ending with a team high seven goals and eight assists. Meanwhile, Uzuni found his form to the tune of six goals and three assists, alongside fellow DP forward Osman Bukari, who had three goals and seven helpers.
Despite losing U.S. men’s national team striker Brandon Vazquez midseason due to a torn ACL, Los Verdes have found their attacking stride, and will provide a challenge to the high-flying LAFC.
As much as the attack has come into focus through head coach Nico Estévez’s first season, the defense has been stellar. Veteran goalkeeper Brad Stuver cracked the MLS All-Star team, and has made the team virtually unbeatable on set pieces, conceding just two goals on free kicks and corner kicks all season.
While their top-end quality doesn’t measure up to LAFC’s, they will also have plenty of confidence in winning big games, after making a run to the 2025 U.S. Open Cup final.
Availability wise, Estévez won’t be able to draw on Vasquez, while Bukari and and Diego Rubio remain questionable.
Austin FC Predicted Lineup vs. LAFC
Austin FC predicted lineup vs. LAFC (3-4-3): Stuver; Hines-Ike, Djordjevic, Biro; Dealer, Sanchez, Pereira, Gallagher; Obrian, Uzuni, Wolff.
LAFC vs. Austin FC Score Prediction
LAFC have always been up for the MLS Cup playoffs, and will certainly have a bit of extra motivation considering the status of their two stars in Son and Bouanga. At the same time, the duo will want to prove themselves against a team inside the playoff picture, a challenge they’ve yet to pass since Son’s arrival.
With home advantage, and all the excitement around the club, it should be a fairly easy night for the Black and Gold, who would then look to complete the sweep and move onto the Western Conference semifinal in Game 2.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as LAFC vs. Austin FC—MLS Cup Playoff Game 1: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
