LAFC keeps their playoff hopes alive with win over Earthquakes

Los Angeles Football Club can’t afford to lose points with the regular season about to conclude. They hosted San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at the Banc of California in an important game to keep their playoff hopes alive and they ended up taking all three points.

Cristian Arango: Man of the Match

LAFC defeated the Earthquakes 3-1 on Saturday with a superb game from Cristian Arango. The Colombian striker scored two goals and gave an assist and he was rightly named the Man of the Match. The 26-year-old has scored eight goals in 12 appearances this campaign since arriving in the summer to Major League Soccer.

"Yeah, it's not like he makes the energy better but he's a good example. When you step on the field, you know you're playing with a guy who cares and has a real presence. I've said that over and over,” said LAFC manager Bob Bradley after the match.

"And his comment about enjoying a game is just that when a team is going through a stretch and things aren't going the way everyone expects when there's some injuries, there's still got to be a part where showing up every day and accepting the challenges that are in front of you and not being afraid; so this gets repeated over and over,” he added.

Los Angeles Football Club has five games left in the regular season to enter the playoff picture. Currently they are in eighth place with 37 points and a record of 10W-7D-12L. They will return to action on 20 October as they go on the road to play against FC Dallas.