Two of Major League Soccer’s biggest stars clash Saturday night at BMO Stadium, with LAFC hosting Columbus Crew in an MLS Cup rematch (10:30 pm ET | Apple TV - Free).
The players in question? LAFC winger Denis Bouanga and Columbus striker Cucho Hernández, MLS All-Stars who earned Best XI honors a season ago.
Asked who he favors entering the Matchday 26 headliner, MLS Season Pass analyst Taylor Twellman went with the reigning Golden Boot winner.
“Cucho Hernández is arguably, in my opinion, the best No. 9 in this league,” Twellman said from the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. “That's a position I played, but he plays it at a completely different level. He's all-around relentless, he goes about his business the right way. I think he makes the players around him better.
“But you're really going to ask me to not take Denis Bouanga in the moment right now? That's going to be very difficult not to do. To answer that question, I think I'm taking Denis Bouanga because I'm starting to see a next-level progression from him where teams may sit in, but he's now finding ways to break that down. Major League Soccer's extremely to have those two players in this league.”
Clash of heavyweights
Bouanga has helped fuel LAFC’s 10-game unbeaten run, tallying 14 goals and nine assists (in 22 matches) as they’ve reached the Western Conference summit. Cucho has 11 goals and seven assists (in 15 matches) as Columbus have won eight of their last nine matches, rebounding from losing the Concacaf Champions Cup final.
The stars' electric form comes eight months after Columbus won MLS Cup, 2-1. Cucho was named MVP of the championship match at Lower.com Field, and Bouanga scored a late consolation goal.
Might this game be both a rematch of last year’s final, as well as a preview of this year’s final?
“It wouldn't surprise me, but I think we're downplaying how strong the Eastern Conference really is,” Twellman said. “As good as Columbus is, Cincinnati's going to be really looking at how the last season ended. They're going to want to get after it. I think Miami's going to have something to say when it's all said and done. I do think LAFC's the frontrunner in the Western Conference – you'd have a difficult time convincing me otherwise. But I could go about four different ways in the Eastern Conference.
“So you might see a preview of MLS Cup, but Columbus going into Leagues Cup last summer was not the best team in the East. After Leagues Cup, they were. You could tell there was something different. I would ask that question to me maybe after Leagues Cup, to see if any tide changes or anything changes course. I think that's where some of these teams may grow into that next-level confidence going into the playoff run.”
Homefield dominance
Regardless, a high-octane match awaits in downtown Los Angeles. And LAFC, when at home, are a different beast.
“LAFC is better now than they were last year when they made it to MLS Cup,” MLS Season Pass analyst Sacha Kljestan said on This is MLS. “I look at the midfield and I think Eduard Atuesta is an upgrade over Kellyn Acosta, who started in MLS Cup. And also the center back pairing of Aaron Long and Jesús Murillo is on a roll.
“… They’re in the zone. All their home games, you almost step on the field knowing they’re going to take home the three points.”
But if any team can disrupt LAFC’s flow, it might be Columbus.
“The Crew right now are playing the best football,” MLS Season Pass analyst Bradley Wright-Phillips said on This is MLS. “They have the best goals-against record in the league. I think that’s a great place to start. They’ve got one of the best strikers here in Cucho Hernandez getting goals.”
