Dynamo out to end LAFC's bid to repeat as champs

Los Angeles FC will try to reach their second consecutive MLS Cup final on Saturday night when they host the surprising Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference final.

Steve Cherundolo's third-seeded LAFC squad has had more peaks and valleys in 2023 than some may have expected after earning the Supporters' Shield/MLS Cup double in 2022.

LAFC have leaned heavily on the production of MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga, who has added four playoff goals to his regular-season haul of 20, including the only tally in last weekend's 1-0 conference semifinal victory at the Seattle Sounders.

Although the Black and Gold have gone unbeaten with five wins in their last six matches, there's a sense the margin for error is smaller against Houston than it might have been in last year's 3-0 conference final victory over Austin FC.

"If we are not balanced and we concede transitions to them, or too easy possession of the ball, we risk to lose, and that can happen very, very easily," LAFC defender Giorgio Chiellini told MLSsoccer.com this week. "If you're playing an average game, I think we don't win. In order to win, we have to play a more-than-average game."

Fourth-seeded Houston has reached the conference final under first-year coach Ben Olsen in the Dynamo's first playoff appearance since 2017.

After winning the U.S. Open Cup in September, they're one of two remaining playoff teams with a shot at a domestic double -- along with 2023 Shield winners FC Cincinnati.

Hector Herrera has a goal and two assists this postseason after his 17 regular-season assists placed him second in MLS. And despite winning two league titles during his European career, and an Olympic gold medal for the Mexico national team, Herrera says exceeding others' meager expectations for Houston has made this run especially sweet.

"At the beginning of the year, we were serious candidates to be near the bottom of the league," Herrera said this week. "No one ever expected us to even make the playoffs. We knew we had a big challenge ahead of us and that it was going to be hard. The entire team, staff and organization knew that and took on the challenge."

--Field Level Media