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LA Vikings, Mexico cancel planned matches

LA Vikings Soccer Club

The Los Angeles Vikings, a club with aspirations of joining WPS and one which has already become a popular offseason destination of WPS players, and the Mexican women’s national team have canceled the two friendly matches planned for later this week. The two parties were slated to play at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium on Thursday and Saturday, but mutually agreed to cancel the games for logistical and cost reasons.

Vikings president and head coach Robert Kleinberger said the decision was in the best interest of both parties.

“This was a mutual decision between our team and the Mexico WNT both for logistical and high cost reasons and nothing more,” Kleinberger said Tuesday night via email.

The exhibitions were planned just weeks ago and thus air travel became increasingly costly to get Mexico to Los Angeles. Furthermore, Kleinberger explained, Mexico would have had to travel to Los Angeles for the two matches, fly back to Mexico and immediately fly to Vancouver, B.C. for the start of CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying on Jan. 19. The two matches against the Vikings were supposed to serve as tune-ups for Mexico ahead of qualifying.

The LA Vikings, featuring top WPS talent including defender Ali Riley, midfielder Christina DiMartino and forward Christen Press, played Canada at Titan Stadium on Monday, losing 3-0. The two teams went to penalty kicks for practice and the Vikings prevailed in the eighth round of kicks.

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