Los Angeles FC head coach Steve Cherundolo believes their MLS Cup playoff tie against the Vancouver Whitecaps will be "the most competitive" matchup yet between the two sides.

Both teams qualified for the Western Conference semi-finals without needing a Game 3 in the previous round, with LAFC knocking out Austin FC while Vancouver got the better of FC Dallas over two games.

The Whitecaps last faced LAFC at the end of June, winning 1-0, but both sides have made notable additions to their squad since.

LAFC have added Son Heung-min to their ranks, whereas Vancouver have bolstered their attack with the signing of Thomas Muller.

Cherundolo praised the depth of Vancouver’s squad, while stating that both clubs now have stronger players than ever before.

"They're subbing in three, four really quality players on the offensive end to change the trajectory of games if the game is not going according to their game plan," said Cherundolo.

"I think it's certainly the most competitive LAFC-Vancouver [matchup] we've seen yet if you break it down by player to player."

LAFC have won three of their previous six visits to BC Place across the last three campaigns, also drawing twice and losing just once.

Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen is not worried about their record against LAFC at home, believing it will be a completely different game due to their recent additions.

"We don't talk about what happened [in previous years] because it's a long time ago," said Sorensen.

"If we talk about this season, we played LAFC twice and we've done OK. Yet it's still a different team because Son came in for them since we played them last time, and Thomas [Muller] also came in for us.

"Both players made a mark on both teams. So it's always new and we're not talking about what happened [previously]. I was not part of it, a lot of players were not part of it, and we just prepare for a game against a very, very good team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vancouver Whitecaps – Ralph Priso

Ralph Priso's stoppage-time equaliser in Game 2 that led to the Whitecaps' shoot-out win over Dallas was just the second goal scored by a Canadian for the Whitecaps in the playoffs, after Samuel Adekugbe scored against LAFC in last season’s first round.

It was the midfielder's first goal of the 2025 season, while he has also contributed with two assists.

Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga

Denis Bouanga has scored seven goals in 10 meetings with Vancouver in the regular season and playoffs, including scoring on the road in May.

Only three players (Chris Wondolowski – 14, Maximiliano Urruti – nine, Raul Ruidiaz – eight) have scored more MLS goals against the Whitecaps since the club joined the league in 2011.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

With two strong lineups set to go head-to-head at BC Place, the Opta supercomputer predicts this match will be settled on penalties.

This will be the third straight season Vancouver and LAFC meet in the playoffs, with the latter advancing in the first round each of the last two seasons, winning four of the five total meetings.

Vancouver have reached the conference semi-finals for the third time and the first since 2017, losing on both previous occasions. Of the six active MLS teams that have never reached the conference finals, the Whitecaps (2011) are the only one that joined prior to 2020.

LAFC have reached the conference semi-finals for the fourth straight year, the longest active streak in MLS.

In 19 all-time playoff matches, LAFC have been shut out only once, in their last postseason match at BC Place, a 1-0 loss in Game 2 of the first round against Vancouver in 2024.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Vancouver Whitecaps – 41.2%

Draw – 26.7%

Los Angeles FC – 32.2%