Chicharito to Premiere in Playoffs

In the opening Western Conference match of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, LA Galaxy superstar Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández will make his first-ever MLS postseason appearance after declaring in February that making the playoffs was a clear and present goal for his club.  

In those preseason remarks, Hernández said: “The main objective here is getting the sixth [title]. We want to be champions. I want to be a champion. And then, of course, we need to win as many games as we can, getting as many points as we can. If I need to score as many goals as I can, help my teammates with assists, goals, good performances, whatever. We all as an organization need to do to get to the playoffs and then try to gain the sixth championship.”

Hernández is the all-time leading scorer for the Mexican National Team, and his MLS postseason debut will come against MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi winner Hany Mukhtar and a dynamic Nashville SC squad at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Oct. 15 (3 p.m. ET, Univision / TUDN / TSN / TVA Sports / local English-language broadcast / MLSSoccer.com / MLS App). 

The Galaxy will look for Chicharito to extend his fantastic run of form as the club returns to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2019. Chicharito has scored 11 goals since the start of August, tied for the most in the league over the span, and was a key figure in the club’s push to the postseason, scoring four goals in the Galaxy’s final four matches of the season in which they secured 10 points and clinched a berth in the playoffs.

As LA begins their push to secure their MLS-best sixth MLS Cup title, a win could line up a postseason edition of El Tráfico against crosstown rivals, the Western Conference top seed, and Supporters’ Shield winner Los Angeles Football Club. For Nashville SC, they will look to Mukhtar to continue his sensational run of form to extend their postseason stay.