LAFC go into Saturday night knowing the equation is simple: beat Querétaro F.C. at BMO Stadium and keep the Leagues Cup quarterfinal picture alive. Marc Dos Santos has made the priority clear, saying the most important thing is to win the game.
This is the final opening-phase match for both clubs, and it arrives with LAFC still in the hunt while Querétaro have already been eliminated from quarterfinal advancement. In a 36-team Leagues Cup that pits MLS clubs against Liga MX opposition, every point carries weight, especially with the knockout rounds set to begin on August 25.
Why the standings matter now
LAFC have two matches behind them and sit on five points, which keeps them in the mix but leaves no room for error. The standings are not just about Saturday’s result either, because LAFC’s route forward also depends on other Leagues Cup outcomes.
That is why Dos Santos stressed the need to finish the opening phase strongly. As he put it, the first focus is that the team finish Wednesday with eight points and then see what happens with the other games.
For LAFC, that is the reality of tournament football. It is not enough to control your own match; you also need the wider board to break in your favour.
Dos Santos wants different ways to win
The LAFC head coach was also clear that there is no single formula for breaking down a team, especially when the opponent is set up to sit deep and protect space.
“If you ask me if I want to win 1-0 or 5-0, you know my answer,” Dos Santos said. The point is straightforward: LAFC would take the result first and worry about the margin later.
He also pointed to recent examples of how his side can find goals from different areas. He referenced the win in Houston, when Steph and Marky Delgado scored from outside the box, and the win against St. Louis, when Matt Choiniere struck twice from distance. That variety matters in tournament games, where the opponent may force a team to work harder for openings.
“You have to have different weapons,” Dos Santos said. “If an opponent is defending low, maybe you get around them looking for the by-line, looking for shots outside the box. If the opponent gives you the space in behind them, you have to know how to attack them.”
What Querétaro have already done
Querétaro arrive with nothing left to play for in terms of advancement to the Leagues Cup Quarterfinals, but that does not mean the match lacks edge. LAFC still need the points, and that gives the game real meaning even if the standings pressure sits more heavily on the home side.
For LAFC, the task is to handle that pressure, take the game early, and make sure the standings do not become a source of regret once the opening phase is complete. With the knockout rounds looming and the wider qualification picture still shifting, Saturday night is about staying alive first and asking questions later.
