LA Galaxy season on the line after 3-0 defeat against Vancouver
The most successful team in MLS history suffered another setback in their visit to Vancouver and could miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
The Los Angeles Galaxy are hanging by a thread in their bid to qualify for the 2022 MLS Cup playoffs after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Vancouver on Wednesday night. The most successful team in MLS history now sit in eighth place in the standings in the Western Conference with 11 wins, seven draws and 12 losses.
Derrick Williams: “We shouldn’t even be in this position”
“Similar to last year, we shouldn’t even be in this position,” said LA Galaxy defender Derrick Williams. ”Today was a perfect example; we dominate the ball, don’t create the chances, they score a goal, and then things fall apart. It’s frustrating, but we have to get on with it.”
This is the eighth time that LA Galaxy have conceded three or more goals this season and now they are in serious risk of missing the MLS Cup playoffs for a second consecutive year. The Galaxy have four regular season games left to secure a spot, but they can’t afford to drop any more points if they want to achieve the goal that was set at the beginning of the campaign.
“It comes down to execution and I feel like we’ve allowed these opportunities to come into a game where we can execute and move ourselves into a good spot and we don’t get across the line in the way we need to,” said LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney.
“Again, it’s a mentality that we have to turn, turning draws into wins and things like that, and it’s time for us to press forward on that. It’s the thing that we discuss a lot with our group: taking that next big step forward to turn possession into attacks, turn attacks into goals, put teams away, move up the table. It’s all the same thing. It’s a mentality.”
What’s next for the Galaxy?
The Galaxy are in a difficult position and since early July they have only won three of 13 games and are three points behind seventh-placeed Real Salt Lake. The good news for the LA side is that they have a game in hand to keep their hopes up of qualifying for the playoffs.
The Galaxy will return home to host the Colorado Rapids on 17 September and seven days later they will go on the road to play against the San Jose Earthquakes in another edition of the Cali Clásico. Then the Galaxy will close the season by hosting Real Salt Lake on 1 October, a direct opponent in the fight for a playoff spot. Then Vanney’s side go on the road again to play against the Houston Dynamo on 9 October.