Often times having a congested schedule is more annoyance and problematic than anything else, but sometimes, having games every few days helps a team. Case in point, this week for LAFC. After a disastrous showing on the road in Seattle this past weekend, the team look to bounce back in the second leg of Champions Cup action as they travel to Columbus to take on the Crew. With a 3-0 advantage, nothing is ever certain, but with key players having been rested this past weekend, it should be mere formality for Los Angeles.
24 Hours. β³
β½ @TheChampions Cup
π @ColumbusCrew
β° 5:30 PM PT
π₯οΈ FS2 pic.twitter.com/1ZlF9JHwgUβ LAFC (@LAFC) March 11, 2025
Coaches will tell you, sometimes the best remedies after a blowout loss, is to get back out on the pitch as soon as possible. LAFC get that chance tonight after a rough road trip against the Sounders this past weekend. Not only did their budding unbeaten run come to a screeching halt, but so too did their clean sheet run of matches. That, however, is now the past. Now, the team turn their focus on the competition that currently holds a majority of their focus, the Champions Cup. While the team do hold a healthy three goal advantage on aggregate, they are far from coming into this one feeling like the job is done. The know they still have work to do.
“It’s a game like any other that we would like to win” said LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo when asked if the aggregate changes the way of thinking, coming into tonight. “The way this competition works with home field advantage, if you make it to the next round, it’s important to get as many results as you can to set yourself up. So this is a game we are going into Columbus, to win.”
While they didn’t suffer a loss, Columbus have not found their typical form in 2025 just yet either, having settled for a scoreless draw against the currently winless Houston Dynamo, their last time out. Much like Los Angeles, this is a club looking to get its offense kickstarted for the long season ahead, and after the big loss in leg one, expect to see a much more aggressive Crew side, especially at home. After what we saw this past weekend, albeit in a different formation and heavily rotated squad, LAFC’s biggest focus has to be defense. As much as they will want to drive that nail in the coffin with an early goal on the road, they need to also make sure they aren’t left vulnerable for any early momentum the home side look to build.
How To Watch
The Champions Cup Round of 16 second leg match is set to kickoff at 5:30pm PT from Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. The match can be streamed live on FOX Sports via Tubi while those looking for a Spanish-language broadcast can stream the match on ViX.
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Columbus Crew is another MLS team, with a solid history and fanbase. If LAFC is facing Columbus in this important match, the game could be an intense battle, especially since both teams may have something to prove or gain from progressing further in the competition.