Dec. 10, 2023 9:42 AM PT
COLUMBUS, Ohio —
LAFC’s 2023 season ended in rain, cold and disappointment at 6:07 p.m. Eastern time Saturday evening, which means its preparations for 2024 started at about the same time the Columbus Crew’s victory celebration did.
Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Crew in the MLS Cup final, which made first-year Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy the first Black manager to win the league title, brought the longest season in league history to an end while beginning the shortest offseason in franchise history. LAFC endured a 10-month, 53-game slog through four countries and two continents this year, covering more than 63,000 miles.