LAFC and Earthquakes Clash in Western Conference Showdown

Two of the top teams in the Western Conference meet in a defensive battle.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:35pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action of a soccer match, with players and the field fragmented into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes in the team's official colors.Two of the Western Conference's top defensive teams clash in a high-stakes early-season showdown.San Jose Today

Los Angeles FC and the San Jose Earthquakes, two of the top teams in the Western Conference, will face off on Sunday. Both teams have been stingy on defense, allowing just two goals each through their first seven games. LAFC will be looking to protect their perfect 4-0-0 home record, while the Earthquakes are on a four-game winning streak across all competitions and are off to their best start in club history.

Why it matters

This matchup between two of the top teams in the West will be a crucial early-season clash that could have major implications for the playoff race. Both teams have been dominant on the defensive end, setting up what should be a tight, low-scoring affair.

The details

LAFC (5-1-1, 16 points) has allowed just two goals in league play, while the Earthquakes (6-1-0, 18 points) have also conceded only two. LAFC is led by forward Denis Bouanga, who has four goals and eight goal contributions in MLS play, while 20-year-old Venezuelan forward David Martinez has six goals across all competitions. The Earthquakes, under second-year head coach Bruce Arena, are on a four-game winning streak and are off to the best start in club history at 7-1-0 across all competitions.

  • LAFC will host the Earthquakes on Sunday, April 20, 2026.
  • LAFC is 4-0-0 at home in league play so far this season.
  • The Earthquakes are on a four-game winning streak across all competitions.

The players

Denis Bouanga

LAFC forward who leads the team with four goals and eight goal contributions in MLS play.

David Martinez

20-year-old Venezuelan forward for LAFC who has six goals across all competitions.

Bruce Arena

Head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, who are in their second season under his leadership.

Jack Skahan

Earthquakes midfielder who scored a pair of goals in their last MLS game.

Niko Tsakiris

Earthquakes midfielder who scored two goals in their last MLS game and has four assists on the season.

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What they’re saying

“If you guys would see training, for me it's normal. When he has space in front of him, he goes and it's fantastic to watch. He has this quality. David is strong. He seems little, but he's really strong when he has courage behind him.”

— Marc Dos Santos, LAFC Head Coach

“We're going to utilize our (full) roster this week. If we have any aspirations of being a good team, it's critically important that we can show that we can have depth and we can rotate our squad when it's called upon.”

— Bruce Arena, Earthquakes Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of this matchup will take a big step towards securing a top spot in the Western Conference standings early in the season.

The takeaway

This defensive showdown between two of the best teams in the West will showcase the depth and tactical acumen of both squads, as they look to gain an early advantage in the race for playoff positioning.