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New York - Steven Gerrard's Los Angeles Galaxy and Frank Lampard's New York City FC are set for an August 23 showdown in California under the Major League Soccer schedule announced Wednesday.
The two English stars, both planning on departing Premier League sides to join the North American league later this year, would meet only once under the match programme, which kicks off March 6 and concludes on October 25.
MLS will open its 20th campaign with 20 teams on March 6 when the defending champion Galaxy, seeking a fourth title in five seasons, play host to the Chicago Fire.
The next day will see six other matchups while March 8 marks the debut of two new MLS teams when Orlando will host New York City, the club backed by Manchester City and baseball's New York Yankees.
Man City irked some supporters of the New York club by securing 36-year-old midfielder Lampard until the end of the Premier League campaign rather than sending him over for the March start of the MLS season as had been expected.
Lampard has been on loan from the fledgling club to its co-creator and produced six goals in 17 appearances for City, with the clubs now saying Lampard's arrival date in America will be revealed "as the Premier League and MLS seasons unfold."
That could mean Lampard might arrive in time to join NYCFC for a June 28 derby match against the New York Red Bulls at Yankee Stadium.
The two "Big Apple" rivals first meet May 10 at the Red Bulls stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
The Galaxy, who confirmed Gerrard's move from Liverpool to the Hollywood side in the July window only hours before the MLS schedule was announced, will face Lampard's club only once in the fixtures list, which sees teams play conferences foes once each at home and on the road but only at home or away against rivals from the other side of the continent.
