After a two-day weather delay, the got their 2023 season underway with on Monday. But they weren’t the only two MLS teams to have their season-opening match postponed due to the elements. In an even stranger development than a historic, out-of-nowhere snowstorm in late February in the Rose City, the LA Galaxy and LAFC were unable to hold their “El Trafico” showdown at the Rose Bowl last Saturday because of a massive weather system that brought heavy rain and even some blizzard warnings to Southern California. Those two clubs won’t make up their rivalry game until July 4. That means Saturday’s game between the Timbers and LAFC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles will be the season opener for the reigning MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield holder. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p. m. Saturday (Fox 12, Apple TV). Fortunately for Portland, Monday’s win behind the first MLS goal from 20-year-old Juan David Mosquera gave the team confidence heading into what might be the most difficult game of the season. The game is about as challenging of a road test that can come early in the season for the Timbers, for whom a draw would be a solid result. Portland is 2-4-3 all-time at LAFC in all competitions, but is unbeaten in its last three MLS road trips to BMO Stadium, with two draws and a 2-1 win on Sept. 29, 2021. On whether it’s an advantage to have already played a game, Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said Friday that he “could see both sides. ” “On one side we have less days to prepare and recover, but the other is that we already are fully into the season and they were expecting to play last weekend and didn’t,” Savarese said. “What happens on the field tomorrow is the important part, and the energy that we’re going to bring into the game. ” With LAFC set to celebrate its trophies from last season prior to the game, Portland’s win on Monday provides belief that the Timbers can perform in a raucous environment. “The team was very united and understood defensively where to be,” noted Savarese about the victory. “We worked hard to be able to deserve three points. We were not happy to not have more of the ball, but we managed the game from beginning to end. ” Monday’s opening victory didn’t come without a cost. Winger Yimmi Chara went down with a hamstring injury in the first half and Savarese said the Colombian who assisted on Mosquera’s goal will likely miss multiple weeks. The Timbers are already missing several key injured attacking players, with Dairon Asprilla expected to miss up to four more weeks and Felipe Mora out until at least May. Sebastian Blanco has battled injuries for the last two seasons and wasn’t fit to play Monday. He’ll miss Saturday’s game as well. Portland’s backline held up well Monday, keeping a clean sheet in fending off 30 crosses and limiting SKC to four shots on target. Goalkeeper David Bingham, starting in place of the injured Aljaz Ivacic, made two big saves in quick succession in the first half but didn’t face much of a threat again until second-half stoppage time, when a free Kansas City header was sent wide of the goal. Savarese said Friday that Ivacic and fullback Claudio Bravo will both be available to play against LAFC. After Monday’s game Timbers defender Zac McGraw praised the work of outside backs Mosquera and Justin Rasmussen, as well as his center back partner Dario Zuparic, for maintaining the clean sheet. “First and foremost as defenders, that’s what you take pride in,” McGraw said of the shutout. “We try to limit their shots and at the end of the day we did our job, so it’s up to the offense to take care of their job. ” McGraw, who was in Southern California during the offseason, said it was no fun to see LAFC to win a title after Timbers failed to reach the postseason. “This was I think the longest offseason we’re ever going to have,” he said. “It was difficult watching the playoffs and having the trophy sitting 20 minutes from my house, and I’m on the couch seeing LAFC raise the cup. ” The defending champs are expected to be a strong side yet again, but there are some question marks. Welsh star Gareth Bale has retired from pro soccer, while last year’s leading scorer Cristian Arango (16 goals in 2022) moved on to Pachuca in Mexico’s Liga MX. Latif Blessing, who made 145 appearances over five seasons with the club, was traded to New England in the offseason. There’s plenty of quality left, though, as LAFC still features former Mexican national team star Carlos Vela as well as returning starters like Kellyn Acosta and Ryan Hollingshead. Holdover Kwadwo Opoku, a 21-year-old from Ghana, might be tabbed to take Arango’s place in the center of the attack. LAFC’s primary addition is 20-year-old winger Stipe Biuk, who was brought on for a $6 million transfer fee from a club in his home country of Croatia. The team also signed center back Aaron Long, who was originally drafted by the Timbers in 2014 but has made all of his previous 139 MLS appearances with the New York Red Bulls. -- Scott Sepich for The Oregonian/OregonLive.