LAFC forward David Martinez outpaces a St. Louis City defender.
(Photo Courtesy of LAFC)
LAFC (6W-3D-4L) suffered a 2-1 loss against St Louis City SC (3W-3D-6L) on May 13 at Energizer Park.
The Black and Gold's offensive struggles have become a major concern for the team after failing to come back from a 2-0 deficit against a bottom-ranked Western Conference St. Louis squad.
Due to a series of games full of miscommunications offensively and inconsistent defensive performances, LAFC has now fallen into a three-game losing streak.
"There are moments in the season like this when things just don't go your way," LAFC Head Coach Marc Dos Santos said. "Right now, we are in a moment like that. We went 10 weeks in a row playing a game every three days. None of our players right now are 100%, and it's a reality that we are facing right now."
LAFC have faced a different type of adversity this season in attempting to juggle the game load of competing in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup and playing MLS regular-season matches in a short span.
Since April 29, LAFC have played six games in all competitions, resulting in squad rotation issues and more injuries occurring during the season.
"We have other clubs and coaches talking about how we do this and how we went about it," Dos Santos said about how he's managing the recent game loads this season. "We have to keep pushing and be positive with the guys. What's frustrating is that some players can't start because they are close to injury."
One of the biggest concerns so far this season is the absence of Son Heung-min's offensive production. The South Korean forward, who is the second-highest-paid player in MLS, has not scored a goal in eight consecutive matches.
In the fourth minute of play, a long ball from St. Louis City defender Timo Baumgartle helped set up combinations up top near LAFC's goal, resulting in an early 1-0 after Tomas Totland scored from a back-post finish.
The closest scoring opportunity for LAFC in the first half came in the 43rd minute after a shot by Son from the top of the box forced St Louis City's goalkeeper Roman Bürki to make a diving save. Moments after, LAFC forward Denis Bouanga set up his teammate Ryan Raposo for a left-footed volley in front of goal, but the shot was overhit above the crossbar.
In the 64th minute, St. Louis caught LAFC's defensive backpedaling, leading to a sudden cross from St. Louis forward Sergio Córdova that forced LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris out of position. A collision between Lloris and St. Louis' Simon Becher led to a wide-open goal opportunity for St. Louis' Rafael Santos to double the lead.
Despite LAFC forward David Martínez's goal off an assist from LAFC defender Nkosi Tafari in the 72nd minute, the Black and Gold failed to equalize, resulting in a shocking 2-1 defeat.
The Venezuelan forward scored his fourth goal of the regular season and eighth across all competitions.
"The last three matches we've been out of form," Martínez said about the team's recent performances in his response in Spanish. "As a collective group, paying more attention to the smaller details is going to help us in the long run. It's important to keep good vibes in the locker room, and it's an opportunity for us to come together as a family."
Tafari's long ball assist over the heads of the St. Louis backline served as his first regular-season assist this season and the seventh of his MLS career.
LAFC nearly equalized after LAFC defender Aaron Long got a foot on a volley attempt by Martínez, nearly deflecting the ball into the back of the net, but was denied by St. Louis' goalkeeper.
The St. Louis victory marked the first win in franchise history against LAFC and ended its five-match winless drought in league play.
LAFC will travel to Tennessee to take on the Eastern Conference leader Nashville SC (8W-3D-1L) on May 17, in Geodis Park at 7 p.m. CST.
