Despite some increased recent success against their arch-rivals, which includes a victory in the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Black & Gold have yet to take a win as the away team in six tries at Dignity Health Sports Park. Amid a red-hot start to the season that has them atop the Supporters' Shield standings through five weeks, Saturday is a chance to bring that streak to an end as LAFC travel to Carson for this weekend's clash (7:30 pm ET | FOX, FOX Deportes).
"This is important for the club to be successful," LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo told reporters on Thursday. "It's an opportunity. I see this as a great opportunity and see the positive in that. I think that's what you focus on: Focus on the feeling of winning a game there and how you would feel after that."
The Galaxy are off to a strong start in their own right, taking three wins in their first five matches, with Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez matching LAFC superstar Carlos Vela's early-season goal total of four.
That only adds another layer of intrigue to a matchup that carries plenty already, as a three-point result for either side would serve as an early statement of intent in the Western Conference.
"It's awesome for the league, it's awesome for us," Cherundolo said. "It should be an amazing game, I'm assuming a lot of the fans will come as well. I'm looking forward to any football event in the United States that has an engaged crowd, sold-out crowd, a lot of quality on the field."
It's all about managing the emotions that come with a derby match that inherently comes with a built-in layer of emotion and intensity.
Cherundolo is in his first year on the sidelines with LAFC, but said conversations with his players and staff have left him well aware of the type of craziness that can often occur in El Trafico fixtures and the implications these matches carry among the fan bases.
"Of course this game means more to the fans, and to us," he said. "It's a balance of managing the pressure that some would say is fake, if you will, or built up. And then also being focused on the raw tactics of each game that are out there. So, this is what our message to the players this week, is managing both.
"Those who have been involved in these games in the past have passed on those experiences, what has happened, what plays during those 90 minutes, before the game and postgame as well, and also what worked and what didn't," he added. "So, we are absolutely using those past experiences to put ourselves in a better position this Saturday. Having players who have been part of it in the past can be good. It can also hurt you. I'm trying to approach things like this in a transparent way and we will speak about of all this. Players will be informed, will be aware and we'll do everything in our power to make LAFC successful Saturday."
Outside of the rivalry component, midfielder Kellyn Acosta said that both teams will be motivated to build on their positive starts to the season that sees each coming off huge road results.
LAFC took a 4-2 victory at Orlando City SC in Week 5, while the Galaxy came out on top in one of the toughest away venues in MLS with a 3-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at Providence Park.
"We're definitely excited. Last week we had a good result on the road, now it's another away game, another challenge, another derby. It's going to bring a lot of challenge, a lot of intensity," Acosta said. "It's a big matchup, the Galaxy came off a big weekend, beat Portland away. So they're looking to continue on rolling and so are we."
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