LAFC set new MLS shutout record to begin season | OneFootball

By Justin Ruderman

LAFC set a new MLS shutout record to start a season during a 0-0 draw at Austin FC on Saturday night, extending their clean sheet streak to five matches, totalling 450 minutes.

Austin FC striker Myrto Uzuni attempted to spoil the party a couple of times on the night but was denied, first by the offside flag, then by a world-class Hugo Lloris save in stoppage time to preserve the Black & Gold's unblemished defensive record.

Defensive dominance

Whether home or away, fully rested or fresh off a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup fixture in Costa Rica, no MLS team has been able to decode the LAFC defensive puzzle yet this season.

"It's a wonderful thing.
I mean, before anything else, I am a center back. We don't always get the goals, and more times than not, we definitely don't get the credit. It's mostly just the blame," defender Nkosi Tafari said of the record. "So when it could come down to something like this, it's definitely a beautiful thing, at least getting the recognition.

"We don't really ever need it. We'll just take shots off the face and let it be what it is. But it's definitely nice to have something on paper to show for the hard work that we're doing. It's a difficult trade being a defender, but still having something to show for it is nice."

Hugo to the rescue

Despite not being called upon for the majority of the night, Lloris remained locked in as the game rolled into stoppage time, producing a diving stop to tip Uzuni's long-range effort over the bar and maintain the Black & Gold's unbeaten 2026 season.

"He's a leader, not only with the save. The save is one big moment, but then he communicates with the back line really well," praised head coach Marc Dos Santos. 

"The back line's been shifting really well. The midfielders have been really aggressive in front of the back four ... So, not only is Hugo important with his communication, his leadership, but the guys in front of him have worked really hard also as a team."

"We want to be champions"

One of four remaining unbeaten teams in MLS play (4W-0L-1D record), LAFC have recorded an impressive 7W-0L-2D across all competitions this season. 

Currently atop the Western Conference standings, the Black & Gold will aim to continue flying high after the March international break. They'll return home on April 4 for a meeting with Orlando City (9:30 pm ET | Apple TV) ahead of a mouthwatering CCC quarterfinal matchup against LIGA MX powerhouse Cruz Azul.

"We absolutely want to be champions," said Tafari.
"We do our job first. We can't score all the goals, but once the goals start coming from whoever they start to come from, and in the flow that we know that they can come from, it's gonna get real dangerous for sure."

HIGHLIGHTS: Austin FC vs. Los Angeles Football Club | March 21, 2026