Like Lionel Messi last season, Olivier Giroud has a chance to win his first trophy at his new club right after joining due to where the Leagues Cup fits into the Major League Soccer schedule. While the Frenchman has yet to score a goal for the Black and Gold, he also hasn't needed to due to the form of Denis Bouanga in the attack.
To lift a trophy, LAFC will have to beat the Columbus Crew who have now appeared in three finals in less than a year winning MLS Cup, losing Concacaf Champions Cup and now making a Leagues Cup final after defeating the Philadelphia Union. Under Wilfried Nancy, the Crew have turned into one of the best teams that MLS has ever seen and they'll be able to add another accolade to their collection by beating fellow MLS Cup contenders LAFC here.
The 2024 edition of Leagues Cup is also expected to surpass the average attendance of the 2023 edition. In 2023 it was 16,911 fans per game but this year it has risen to 17,058.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, Aug. 25 | Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Lower.com Field -- Columbus, Ohio
- Live stream: MLS Season Pass
- Odds: Columbus Crew +105; Draw +280; LAFC +220
Storylines
Columbus Crew: After already losing one final this season, the Crew won't want to lose another with how high the stakes are facing LAFC. Between Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi, there is enough in the attack to score on any team in the league, the questions will surround if the Crew can stop LAFC from scoring.
Los Angeles FC: With six goals and three assists, Bouanga has been unstoppable in Leagues Cup play and he now has 22 goals and 14 assists in all competitions. Even with Giroud joining, this is Bouanga's attack in a complete LAFC side. They've only allowed three goals in six matches so far in the tournament so they'll be well suited for taking on the Crew.
Prediction
Both sides are experienced in winning a knockout competition but it feels like LAFC has a slight edge that will help them push ahead in the second half of play. Pick: Columbus Crew 1, LAFC 2
