February 22, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
LAFC Looks to Stay Perfect to Start Season
The Los Angeles Football Club has represented the Western Conference in MLS Cup presented by Audi in each of the last two seasons and will look to kick off their quest to MLS Cup with a victory on opening weekend. Since joining MLS in 2018, LAFC has never dropped a season-opening match, winning each of their first six season-openers. Behind the reigning Golden Boot presented by Audi winner Dénis Bouanga and World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, making his debut in black and gold, the club will look to make league history this weekend.
With a win against Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV / FOX), LAFC would become the first team in MLS history to win seven consecutive season-opening games, breaking a tie with FC Dallas (six consecutive wins, 2012-17).
History on the Horizon for Atlanta’s Dax McCarty
Now with his sixth different MLS club, midfielder Dax McCarty is set to make his Atlanta United debut on Saturday after arriving with the club via free agency this winter. McCarty has appeared in 466 career regular-season games – the third-most in MLS history – and sits within striking distance of Kyle Beckerman (498 games) for the second-most games played in league history. As Atlanta kicks off the 2024 season, the veteran will be looking to join Beckerman in the MLS record books.
With an appearance against the Columbus Crew on Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), McCarty would become the third player in MLS history to see action in 19 different seasons, joining Beckerman (21 seasons) and Nick Rimando (20 seasons).
Head Coaches Looking to Start Hot
A strong start goes a long way towards a successful season and all 29 clubs will be looking to sprint out of the gate in 2024. Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes and Orlando City SC head coach Óscar Pareja are no strangers to starting strong, as they are two of only five head coaches in MLS history to record at least seven victories in season openers.
With an Orlando City win against CF Montréal (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) and a Sporting Kansas City win against Houston Dynamo FC (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), Pareja and Vermes can tie Bruce Arena (eight) for the third-most season-opening victories by a head coach in MLS history.
Additionally, Orlando City is unbeaten in their last nine…
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