Galaxy clinch playoff spot with draw against RSL

Not the easiest way, but the goal is reached for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The Galaxy didn’t make it easy themselves on Saturday night, but in the end, the Galaxy got exactly what it needed in its match with Real Salt Lake. Douglas Costa converted a penalty in the second half to level the match, and while it missed out on an opportunity to win the match outright by a mere inches, the Galaxy still managed to bring and end to its brief playoff drought with a 1-1 draw at Dignity Health Sports Park.

“Obviously, I’m proud of these guys,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “It’s been a couple years now that we’ve been battling together. Trying to put a group together. Fill in our holes. Grow in terms of our confidence. And just belief. Winning the games, or getting results in games that we need to, has been a big thing for us.”

The Galaxy clinch its first postseason berth since 2019, when it defeated Minnesota in the Wild Card Round before falling to LAFC in the conference semifinals. With the playoff clinched, the Galaxy’s focus is now home field advantage in the opening round. The Galaxy (13-12-8, 47 points) are currently tied points wise with Nashville for the fourth spot in the Western Conference, though the Galaxy hold the first tiebreaker edge, as they have one more win than Nashville.

Trailing by a goal with a chance to clinch starting to slip away, the Galaxy were gifted a chance with the help of video review. Riqui Puig played a ball to Chicharito Hernandez, who then took a touch into the penalty area. RSL defender Marcelo Silva marked Chicharito heavily, even to the point that Silva’s right elbow caught Chicharito in the back of the latter’s neck,, cuasing him to go to the ground. Initially, no call was made, but the play soon went to video review, and Stott saw enough to award the Galaxy the penalty. Douglas Costa stepped up to the spot and sent the penalty to his right as keeper MacMath guessed wrong.

Not satisfied with a draw, the Galaxy pressed for the whole three points. However, chances by Riqui Puig in the 75th minute and Kevin Cabral in the 87th minute were foiled by the framework. Salt Lake then nearly stole the three points in stoppage time, as Justen Glad headed Justin Meram’s cross on target, byt keeper Jonathan Bond stood his ground, parrying the ball away from goal.

“It was an awkward game,” Bond said. “We knew that a draw was enough, so we didn’t want to over commit and try and win the game and then lose it doing that. It was an emotional night as well. Full stadium and to go 1-0 down when we probably didn’t deserve to… I thought we actually started the game pretty well. It was obviously good that we kept our heads and came back from it.”

The Galaxy could have had a goal from the penalty spot back in the first half. It started in the 15th minute, as Marky Delgado played a ball to Puig at the top of the box, Puig then made his move into the box, RSL defender Scott Caldwell tried to defend against Puig, Caldwell stuck his right foot out, but ended up tripping Puig in the box and Stott signaled the Galaxy to the penalty spot. Puig looked to finish the play by stepping to the spot and he sent the penalty to the right side, but MacMath guessed right, parrying the ball away from from goal.

Salt Lake eventually made the Galaxy pay for the missed penalty by taking the lead in the 25th minute. Jefferson Savarnio payed a ball to Andrew Brody, who then dribbled towards the penalty area. Brody then played Aaron Herrera into the box, Herrera then one-timed a short cross into the six-yard box and Cordova headed a ball past a flat-footed Bond into the top net to stake RSL to the early advantage.

The Galaxy finish its regular season on the road next Sunday at Houston.

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