Xavier Tamarit said Los Angeles FC are building a "hard team" to play against as they prepare to face Minnesota United in their penultimate regular-season game of the season.

LAFC secured their spot in the postseason following a 2-2 draw with rivals LA Galaxy last weekend, with the achievement coming after sacking Marc Dos Santos last month. 

Dos Santos was dismissed after a poor run of results that left LAFC's playoff hopes at risk, but interim boss Tamarit has come in and gone unbeaten in his four games in charge. 

Their draw with the Galaxy came after Joseph Paintsil's double had put LAFC two goals down by the 51st minute, but Denis Bouanga and Leo Walta completed the comeback. 

LAFC have now qualified for the postseason for the fifth consecutive year, and Tamarit expressed his pride in the players for their never-say-die attitude in recent weeks. 

"I am very happy to be in the playoffs," Tamarit said. "We've fought to reach this point, and we have to be happy, because it is not easy for anyone to achieve this. 

"I want to say I am very proud of the team and how we overcame a difficult situation that we didn't deserve. In my opinion, we were better from the start until the end. 

"The mentality have shown makes me feel proud. How the players that were on the bench came in. We are building a hard team, a real team. They never give up."

Gearing up https://t.co/3rxk9QfgeH

— LAFC (@LAFC) October 29, 2026

Minnesota, meanwhile, have their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, with Cameron Knowles' team 12th in the Eastern Conference and four points off the pace. 

Real Salt Lake, LA Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders are also in a better position than Minnesota, who, if they lose, could be eliminated from competing in the playoffs. 

But they arrive into the clash at the BMO Stadium with confidence, having come from behind to beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1 last time out. 

Taylor Calheira had given Sporting KC the lead, but second-half strikes from Anthony Markanich, Mauricio Gonzalez and Kelvin Yeboah turned the game around.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LAFC – Denis Bouanga

Bouanga scored his 18th goal of the season in LAFC's draw with the LA Galaxy, taking him to 82 goals since the start of the 2023 season, the most in MLS in that time.

No other LAFC player is within 60 goals of Bouanga in that time (Mateusz Bogusz – 18).

Thank you for making the trip One more at home this Saturday. https://t.co/fhs4vYqG1P

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) October 29, 2026

Minnesota United – Kelvin Yeboah

Yeboah, who scored Minnesota's third goal on Wednesday, has scored 10 goals in his last 12 regular-season matches dating back to August 23.

He is one of three players, along with Antoine Griezmann (13) and Lionel Messi (12), with double-digit goals in that time.

MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN

LAFC have won four straight matches against Minnesota after winning three of the first 11, keeping clean sheets in all four wins. No side has defeated the Loons in five straight regular-season games and no team in MLS history has recorded five straight shutout wins over a single opponent.

However, LAFC have won only two of their last 14 regular-season matches dating back to the start of August (D8 L4). Only four teams have collected fewer points than LAFC's 14 over that time, including only one from the Western Conference (Sporting Kansas City – eight).

Minnesota are unbeaten in five straight matches (W2 D3) following a home win over Sporting KC, including winning two of three. The Loons had won one of their previous 18 league matches (D8 L9) dating back to early May.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Draw – 24.1%

Minnesota United – 23%