LA Galaxy’s 2022 MLS Cup Playoff Run Comes to an End with 3-2 Loss to LAFC
October 21, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – LA Galaxy News Release
LOS ANGELES (Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022) – The LA Galaxy’s 2022 MLS Cup Playoff run came to an end in the Western Conference Semifinals following a 3-2 loss to LAFC at Banc of California Stadium on Thursday night.
2022 LA Galaxy Season In Review
In 40 matches played across all competitions during the 2022 campaign, the LA Galaxy held a record of 18-14-8. In 21 matches played at home across all competitions, LA held an 11-6-4 record. The Galaxy were 7-8-4 in 19 matches played on the road across all competitions this year. Javier “Chicharito” Hernández led the Galaxy with 19 goals in 37 games played (34 starts) across all competitions in 2022. Dejan Joveljić recorded 15 goals and three assists in 37 appearances (10 starts) across all competitions in his second season with LA. Julián Araujo led the club with nine assists and added one goal in 39 games played (35 starts) across all competitions this season. In 12 games played (11 starts) across all competitions since joining the Galaxy, Riqui Puig logged three goals and five assists.
LA Galaxy Against LAFC
The Western Conference Semifinal between the LA Galaxy and LAFC marked the 17th edition of El Tráfico across all competitions, with the Galaxy leading the all-time series 7-5-5. In four matches played across all competitions between the two teams during the 2022 campaign, the series was tied 2-2-0.
Goal-Scoring Plays
LFC – Denis Bouanga (Carlos Vela, Eddie Segura), 23rd minute: Carlos Vela’s pass into the penalty area found Denis Bouanga, who struck his shot into the back of the net.
LA – Samuel Grandsir, 44th minute: A failed clearance inside the box fell to Samuel Grandsir, who fired his shot into the lower far corner of the goal.
LFC – Denis Bouanga (Kwadwo Opoku), 80th minute: Ryan Hollingshead’s pass from the right side of the penalty area was flicked on by Kwadwo Opoku to Denis Bouanga, who converted his shot from close range at the back post.
LA – Dejan Joveljić (Víctor Vázquez, Gastón Brugman), 85th minute: Víctor Vázquez fed the ball to Dejan Joveljić on the edge of the 18-yard box. The Serbian international’s ensuing right-footed shot was curled into the top right corner of the net.
LFC – Cristian Arango, 90+3rd minute: Jonathan Bond initially saved Denis Bouanga’s shot from close range, but the rebound fell to Cristian Arango and his shot was fired into the roof of the net.
Postgame Notes
The LA Galaxy were eliminated from the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs following the 3-2 loss to LAFC in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Western Conference Semifinal match between the LA Galaxy and LAFC marked the 17th edition of El Tráfico across all competitions, with the Galaxy leading the all-time series 7-5-5.
The Galaxy hold a 46-24-7 record in 77 all-time playoff matches.
In 35 all-time road matches played in the MLS Cup Playoffs, the LA Galaxy hold a 13-7-5 record.
In 40 matches played across all competitions during the 2022 campaign, the LA Galaxy held a record of 18-14-8.
The Galaxy were 7-8-4 in 19 matches played on the road across all competitions this year.
In their last 13 matches played across all competitions dating back to Aug. 13, the LA Galaxy held a record of 6-2-5.
Javier “Chicharito” Hernández led the Galaxy with 19 goals in 37 games played (34 starts) across all competitions in 2022.
Dejan Joveljić recorded 15 goals and three assists in 37 appearances (10 starts) across all competitions in his second season with LA.
Joveljić tallied 10 goals and three assists across all competitions as a substitute this year.
Julián Araujo led the club with nine assists and added one goal in 39 games played (35 starts) across all competitions this season.
In four matches played across all competitions against LAFC during the 2022 campaign, the Galaxy held a 2-2-0 record.
Samuel Grandsir has tallied three goals and four assists in his last five appearances across all competitions against LAFC dating back to Oct. 3, 2021.
2022 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Semifinal
LA Galaxy (4th Seed) at LAFC (1st Seed)
Oct. 20, 2022 – Banc of California Stadium (Los Angeles)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
LA Galaxy 1 1 2
LAFC 1 2 3
Scoring Summary:
LFC: Bouanga (Vela, Segura), 23
LA: Grandsir, 44
LFC: Bouanga (Opoku, Hollingshead), 80
LA: Joveljić (Vázquez, Brugman), 85
LFC: Arango, 90+3
Misconduct Summary:
LA: Puig (caution), 12
LA: Edwards (caution), 45+2
LFC: Palacios (caution), 56
LFC: Murillo (caution), 58
LFC: Vela (caution), 63
Lineups:
LA: GK Jonathan Bond; D Julián Araujo, D Séga Coulibaly, D Martín Cáceres (Derrick Williams, 84), D Raheem Edwards; M Mark Delgado (Dejan Joveljić, 84), M Gastón Brugman, M Riqui Puig, M Samuel Grandsir (Víctor Vázquez, 68), M Douglas Costa (Kévin Cabral, 58), F Javier “Chicharito” Hernández ©
Substitutes Not Used: GK Jonathan Klinsmann; D Kelvin Leerdam; M Efraín Álvarez, M Sacha Kljestan
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Samuel Grandsir, Riqui Puig, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Riqui Puig, 2); FOULS: 11 (Séga Coulibaly, Raheem Edwards, 3) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 2
LFC: GK Maxime Crepeau; D Jesus Murillo, D Eddie Segura, D Diego Palacios, D Ryan Hollingshead; M Ilie Sanchez, M Jose Cifuentes (Jhegson Mendez, 90+4), M Kellyn Acosta; F Cristian Arango, F Carlos Vela © (Kwadwo Opoku, 78), F Denis Bouanga (Giorgio Chiellini, 90+4)
Substitutes Not Used: GK John McCarthy; D Franco Escobar, D Sebastian Ibeagha, M Latif Blessing, F Cristian Tello, F Daniel Trejo
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Jose Cifuentes, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Denis Bouanga, 3); FOULS: 18 (Kelyn Acosta, 4) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 2
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Jeremy Hanson
Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
Weather: Clear, 75 degrees
Attendance: 22,305
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
LA GALAXY POSTGAME QUOTES
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GREG VANNEY
On his general thoughts on this night:
“I thought the first half, we had a lot of the game. Especially early on. I think, as I said to the guys on the bench, we needed to punish them. In the early stages when they didn’t have a chance. They got a goal kind of against the run of things. The first time we got a little bit passive defensively, they were able to get a goal. We got ourselves back into it, and it kind of went back and forth for a while. I’m really proud of our guys. It’s been a hell of a stretch of games that the guys have put together in the last 12, 13 games. And battled until the very end. And the game came down to a couple plays here or there, you know? The most important thing, now, is I’m proud of this group. We’ve come a long way since a year and a half ago, two years ago. I think this group has proven that they’re capable of winning things. Tonight it didn’t go our way, but we certainly had our moments where we were in control of the match in good stretches.”
On the emotional rollercoaster of the game and the Dejan Joveljić’s goal a minute after being subbed into the game, then LAFC’s stoppage time game winner:
“Yeah. You know, that’s what makes these games so strange, because you kind of throw a Hail Mary sometimes, a little bit, and your shape or your positions, or the roles, the people you bring on to try to track and chase a goal, you get it, but then it maybe leaves you vulnerable on the defensive side. So, we were trying to get ourselves reorganized on the defensive side. We were pretty close to there. We give up a corner kick at the end and we just don’t defend it well. But, I think we started to settle ourselves back in, and then the corner kick was certainly the difference at that point.”
On the breakdown on the second and third goals:
“Well, the third goal was the corner kick, right? So, that was the cross to the back post. They went deep to the back post, and the guy headed it back across. Between the challenge at the back post and the guys who were in front of it, we just… we lose our marks, we lose the guys that we need to deal with in front of the goal. And, they head one back across and they put it away. The second one, quite honestly, I don’t even remember it right this second to be able to give you an assessment of it. But I know they were able to get across the field on us, and I don’t quite remember what happened right after that. I went right into mode of how-do-we-get-a-goal-back.”
On how he saw his team respond to the emotions of El Tráfico, and where he feels the project is and where the season ends off on:
“I’m proud of the growth that the group made. I think they, you know, especially here in the playoffs, they played two big games where there was a lot on the line. We played a number of games down the stretch of the season where we felt like every game mattered. That’s something this group needed to go through. Is to play these types of important matches. I’ve seen the group kind of grow together as men. And, the qualities of the group came out. I really felt like for large stretches of the game they didn’t have great answers for us, and attacking wise, they didn’t have any great solutions. I was pleased with our play. I thought in the second half, they increased their pressure a little bit, and we just weren’t moving for each other in the same rate that we were in the first half. So, for us, it’s just continued growth. But we have a lot of really good pieces. We’ve got a group that is now connected like they’ve never been connected before in that locker room. Trusting each other and working for each other. So, we have got a lot to be proud of. And a lot to look forward to as we build forward. So that’s what I’m most pleased about.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD JAVIER “CHICHARITO” HERNÁNDEZ
On his feelings after the match:
“It’s going to be very difficult to tell you in different words other than pain and disappointment. You’re not going to hear anything different. That’s the feeling that I have… We probably could have maintained the 2-2 result in the end. Disappointment. We need to leave this pain and transform it into something positive for next season.”
On how the team can move on from this for next season:
“The positive thing is comparing last season and that we didn’t go to the playoffs and [this year] we came to the semifinals of the conference against the best team in the league. We grew a lot, but for this organization it’s not enough. The standards are as high as they can [be] with winning trophies and playing in finals at least. We’re very disappointed.”
On his message to the team:
“I’m proud of them because this is an amazing group of guys. You can even ask Michael Jordan after their losses that they couldn’t make it to the finals and how painful it was. I was watching Derek Jeter… You can see he won five championships, but he still remembered the losses. If we are mature and we are conscience, we can create something big from here. Obviously, right now there are no words to describe the pain of losing against your neighbors, and the rivalry… In the last minute… And the way we came back twice from the score sheet and then losing in the last minute. With tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, we’re going to start taking out the positives as well and be very critical with ourselves individually and as a group.”
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