Previewing a Black and Gold MLS Cup
Reigning champions LAFC head to Columbus with a chance to repeat as MLS Cup champions against a high-scoring Crew team
With five competitions, seven possible trophies, three finals, an unprecedented travel schedule, and injuries throughout, 2023 has been quite the eventful season for LAFC. Come Saturday night the Black and Gold will compete in their MLS-record 53rd and final game of the season as they look to lift their first major trophy of the year and become the first back-to-back MLS Cup champions in over a decade.
Unlike last season, LAFC is on the road for MLS Cup in 2023, heading to Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio for a championship bout with Eastern Conference champions and the league's *other* Black and Gold team, the Columbus Crew. Each club entered the playoffs as the third seed from their respective conference but due to the top-heavy nature of the East this season, Columbus actually finished with more points (57) than the West's regular-season table toppers St. Louis City SC (56). Columbus was also the highest-scoring team in MLS this season (67 goals) and has matched that pace in the playoffs as the league’s top scorers (13 playoff goals), providing the reigning champions with likely the toughest challenge to the defensive solidity that has earned them a return trip to MLS Cup.
The reigning champions prepare for back-to-back MLS Cup appearances (LAFC)
To cover a few importantly unimportant notes, the conditions in Columbus on Saturday will be classic English football weather with forecasts predicting a surprisingly warm 60°F at kickoff with a 57% chance of rain. The Angelenos also have a 3-0-0 all-time record against the Crew - a statistic you'll hear repeated which has absolutely no relevance to Saturday's match. Perhaps a slightly more logical stat to observe is that LAFC is unbeaten in their last seven matches while Columbus is unbeaten in their last seven matches at home. That probably doesn't matter either though because one or the other must give.
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