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Los Angeles FC will begin their 2024 MLS Cup playoff run the same way they began their 2023 postseason, as they are set to face the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday evening in the opener of a first-round series.

And just maybe, Carlos Vela will once again be involved for the Western Conference’s top seed.

The 35-year-old hasn’t appeared in a single match this season for LAFC due in part to salary issues, but the club finally re-signed him on Sept. 16. Vela was the MLS MVP and Golden Boot winner back in 2019.

Los Angeles coach Steve Cherundolo is confident that Vela can make an impact if he has to be used on Sunday.

“Every day that he trains, he’s getting back to his old self and fitness,” Cherundolo said of Vela. “And so every day that we move forward is a day in the bank for him in training loading, getting him closer to his top potential. And Carlos — a fit Carlos — can help LAFC.”

The Whitecaps are aware of Vela’s potential as much as anyone, having played against LAFC four times last season. Two of those matches came in last year’s first-round series, where Vancouver was swept.

But eighth-seeded Vancouver has quality of its own, led by Scottish international Ryan Gauld, who recorded a hat trick in a 5-0 wild-card win against the Portland Timbers on Wednesday night.

The Whitecaps have gone 2-4-1 in their past seven league meetings with Los Angeles, but they certainly aren’t intimated by the hosts.

“The performances where we did our best was because we weren’t scared of them,” Vancouver coach Vanni Sartini said. “We went at them, but at the same time, we went at them with the humility. So that’s what we’ll have to do on Sunday. We know that we need to win at least once away if we want to (advance).”

–Field Level Media