No matter how long the Los Angeles Football Club’s MLS Cup playoff run lasts this year, one thing is guaranteed the rest of the way: It’s do or die when they step onto the field.

If you’re LAFC, which has had success in knockout competitions over the last three seasons, that will be reason to feel positive.

Between 2018 and 2021, under head coach Bob Bradley, LAFC advanced to one final, finished second in the 2020 Champions League and was 1-3 in the playoffs, losing twice at then-Banc of California Stadium. Falling to Seattle in the 2019 Western Conference final means LAFC dropped out of a postseason playoff game for the last time the night before while the players were asleep in their own beds.

Under Steve Cherundolo’s leadership, LAFC has produced better results in the biggest spots in front of its fans, posting a 4-0 record at home en route to winning the MLS Cup in 2022 and the conference title last year.

Making the most of home field advantage in the West and reaching the third final this season Achieved second place in the Leagues Cup in Columbus and US Open Cup victory At home – LAFC must first advance beyond a best-of-3 opening round series against Vancouver.

Cherundolo’s team ended up making seven straight playoff wins against conference opponents as the Whitecaps asserted themselves last weekend at BC Place, defeating LAFC for the first time in 14 playoff games.

Canadians gain ground their 3-0 win “And that was enough to hold us back a little bit,” Cherundolo said, by improving how they maintained the width of the pitch. “It is impossible to cover every area on the field, so you prioritize certain areas. “They prioritized that defensively and it paid off for them.”

In fairness to the familiar foe (this marks their 12th meeting in the past two seasons), LAFC defender Sergi Palencia complimented the Whitecaps.

“They disturbed us,” he said. “He had very clear ideas. Very clear concepts. And we couldn’t find our solutions.

“But now it’s time for us to get used to it. “I think the biggest thing we need to adjust is intensity, playing at home, confidence and who wants it more.”

To that end, Cherundolo said he witnessed more intensity, focus and impatience in training leading up to Game 3 than in Game 2, “which are all great signs.”

With Taking Game 1 in Los Angeles 2-1, LAFC could afford to lose.

But not again if he intends to fight another day.

“We won the first round. They won the second. This will be a final,” said forward Denis Bouanga, who had scored in three consecutive playoff contests leading up to last year’s MLS Cup final and has eight goals in 10 playoff games overall, before Sunday’s match.

“It’s like any other qualifying play-off match that we have to win. The good thing is that we will be playing at home.”

Considering all contests in 2024, LAFC is 19-2-5, including a pair of wins and a tie against the Whitecaps at BMO Stadium.

“We will have to be aggressive,” the French winger said. “We need to score goals. It is our duty to maintain the tempo of these matches.”

If the West’s No. 1 seed does so and advances beyond Round 1, LAFC will host a conference semifinal on Nov. 23 or 24 against Seattle, which swept Houston. This will result in at least 50 games played for LAFC in each of the last two seasons; the most this number will be played by an MLS team.