On the road vying for an upset once again, Los Angeles FC 2's Cinderella story concludes with a shot at glory on Sunday.
Heading to Southern Tennessee to do battle with Chattanooga FC for the MLS NEXT Pro Cup title (6 PM ET | MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball) lifts LAFC 2 to new heights and sets the stage for some of their budding stars to shine in their first-ever final.
Finishing sixth place in the Western Conference (11W-8L-9T), LAFC 2 have embraced the underdog mentality as the lowest-ever seed to make it to MLS NEXT Pro Cup under first-year head coach Fabian Sandoval.
Playoff path
Upsets have defined LAFC 2's postseason, starting with being selected by Houston Dynamo 2 in the quarterfinals, where a first-half 2-0 lead eventually turned into a 2-2 deadlock that staged a dramatic shootout victory.
Getting selected again, LAFC 2 booked a trip to the Texas capital to take on Austin FC II in the semifinals. Not fazed by ATXFC II's dominant regular season, LAFC 2 held their own and cashed in late on a Sebastian Nava stoppage-time winner.
Still technically on the road, LAFC 2 claimed the Western Conference title with a 1-0 win over crosstown El Trafichico rival Ventura County FC on the back of a game-winning goal from striker Marius Aiyenero.
Player spotlight
Fresh off earning this year's Goal of the Year vote, 18-year-old midfielder Jude Terry is one of the most prized prospects in all of North America. He opened his playoff account in LAFC 2's quarterfinal win over Dynamo 2.
In addition to back-to-back clean sheets, 18-year-old goalkeeper Ethan Scally made two saves in the shootout win in Houston. Should it all come down to kicks from the spot Sunday, Scally has proven clutch when the game is in his hands.
Another 18-year-old youngster, striker Marius Aiyenero, has been massive in the playoffs with two goals, including the game-winner for the Western Conference Final.
What they're saying
Feeling the emotions of the Western Conference Final, LAFC 2 reflected on their journey to Sunday's showdown.
"As soon as we knew we were in the playoffs, we were going to take that underdog mentality, and that's what it's been the whole way through," Sandoval said after last week's win. "Just come in and grind."
Speaking on the pick-your-opponent aspect, centerback Giuliano Whitchurch confirmed it added a chip to his side's shoulder.
"If someone chose to play us...we were going to take that personally," he shared. "That underdog mentality, we put the pressure on the opponent. On paper, we should be the team losing, but we took that personally and went out there and showed them."
On providing the game-winner, Aiyenero reflected on the work that set the stage for his big moment.
"It felt amazing," he explained. "I work every day, individually, with my teammates and coaches in the gym, and to see the goal go in means everything."
Tune-in
Be sure to join in on the fun!
The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup will air live on MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball app at 6 PM ET. James Hadnot will provide play-by-play, alongside former Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo winger, now MLS on Apple TV analyst Calen Carr, as well as former Dynamo forward Isaiah Reid reporting from the sideline. The match will also be broadcast in Spanish with play-by-play by Ramon Chavez and analysis from Carlos Suarez.
