LAFC’s game against LA Galaxy, scheduled for Saturday, the opening day of Major League Soccer, at the Rose Bowl has been postponed due to “safety considerations due to inclement weather,” LAFC announced Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- LAFC said clubs are planning to reschedule to a later date at the Rose Bowl, but there’s no word yet on when the game will go ahead.
- Over 70,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s game, league sources said. LAFC added that tickets purchased for the game will count towards a postponement.
- Saturday’s matchup would have been the 18th edition of the “El Tráfico” rivalry series, which LA Galaxy led 7-5-5. LAFC, the defending MLS Cup champions, also play Galaxy on April 16 and September 16.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
El Tráfico storylines have been put on hold
It’s no coincidence that MLS decided to start the season with El Tráfico – it’s the league’s biggest and best football rivalry. Over 70,000 fans had bought tickets to see Saturday night’s game at the Rose Bowl, home of the Galaxy between 1996 and 2002. The Galaxy were hoping to get revenge on LAFC after the eventual MLS Cup winners defeated the Galaxy 3-2 in a dramatic Western Conference semifinal playoff match last season.
Galaxy would have been without star striker and captain Chicharito on Saturday after the 109-cap Mexico international picked up a hamstring injury last season. LAFC goes into the season among favorites to win the MLS Cup, which would make it the first MLS franchise to retain the trophy since Galaxy did so in 2012.
LAFC host Portland Timbers on Saturday, March 4 while Galaxy travel to FC Dallas on the same day. —Burke
(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)