Diego Rossi scored a league-high 14 goals. (Photo courtesy of MLS)

Los Angeles Football Club already has one leg tied behind its back before its Nov. 24 playoff opener against Seattle Sounders FC.

The team learned Wednesday that MLS Golden Boot winner Diego Rossi tested positive for COVID-19 while playing for his Uruguayan national team and will miss the playoff match.

The loss of Rossi is devasting for LAFC. He is coming of a stellar season, in which he was named Major League Soccer’s young player of the year after leading the league with 14 goals. At 22, he was MLS’ youngest Golden Boot winner in the league’s 25 years.

Defender Diego Palacios (Ecuador) and midfielder José Cifuentes (Uruguay) also tested positive while playing for their countries and also will miss the game.

Upon receipt of the positive results, the players entered self-isolation in their respective countries and will remain isolated and follow their local restrictions and protocol prior to returning to Los Angeles.

Forward Brian Rodriguez, who has been with the Uruguayan national team, has continued to test negative. His return to Los Angeles as well as his status for LAFC’s playoff match is still to be determined.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.