Ahead of the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, the LA Galaxy clinched the fourth seed in the Western Conference following a 3-1 win on the road over Houston Dynamo FC at PNC Stadium in the 2022 MLS Regular Season finale on Sunday evening. Javier “Chicharito” Hernández tallied his team-leading 18th goal of the season, while Riqui Puig and Dejan Joveljić both found the back of the net in the Galaxy’s first win on Decision Day dating back to Oct. 28, 2012.
2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
Following the win over Houston, the LA Galaxy (14-12-8, 50 points) secured the fourth seed and a First Round match against Nashville SC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Oct. 15 (12:00 p.m. PT; UniMás and TUDN). The Galaxy have qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the 20th time in the club’s 27 years in MLS. Since the start of the 2009 season, the Galaxy have hosted 18 playoff matches in Carson, including MLS Cup 2011, 2012 and 2014. In those 18 home playoff matches at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Galaxy are 15-2-1, while holding a 45-23-7 record in 75 all-time playoff matches.
LA Galaxy In Form At The Right Time
The Galaxy have lost only once in their last 11 matches played dating back to Aug. 13, holding a record of 5-1-and outscoring the opposition 26-19 during that span. Since Aug. 13, the Galaxy’s 5-1-5 record (20 points) ranks as the best in the Western Conference and ranks third in the league behind only CF Montreal (8-1-1, 24 points) and the Philadelphia Union (7-2-1, 22 points. In the Galaxy’s last six matches played on the road dating back to Aug. 28, LA holds a 3-1-2 record.
LA Galaxy’s 2022 MLS Regular-Season Recap
Chicharito led the team and finished the season ranked tied for fourth in MLS with 18 goals scored in 32 games played (31 starts) for the Galaxy in league play. Julián Araujo ranked second in the league amongst all defenders and led the Galaxy with nine assists in 33 appearances (30 starts) this season. Joveljić led the league with eight goals scored and 10 goal contributions ( 8 goals, 2 assists) as a substitute this year. As a team, the Galaxy finished the season with the sixth-most goals scored (58) during the 2022 MLS Regular Season.
Goal-Scoring Plays
HOU – Sebastian Ferreira (Corey Baird), 8th minute: Corey Baird’s cross into the box found Sebastian Ferreira, who headed the ball into the far corner of the net.
LA – Riqui Puig (Samuel Grandsir, Douglas Costa), 31st minute: Douglas Costa quickly played the ball wide to Samuel Grandsir on the left side of the penalty area. Grandsir’s centering pass in the middle of the box found Riqui Puig, who blasted his shot into the roof of the net.
LA – Chicharito (Gastón Brugman), 32nd minute: In transition, Gastón Brugman slipped a pass behind the Houston defense to Chicharito, whose outside-the-foot shot from inside the penalty area was converted at the far net.
LA – Dejan Joveljić (Efraín Álvarez), 69th minute: Efraín Álvarez’s pass in behind the Houston backline found Dejan Joveljić, who rifled his shot just inside the far post.
Postgame Notes
Following the win over Houston, the LA Galaxy (14-12-8, 50 points) secured the fourth seed and a First Round match against Nashville SC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Oct. 15 (12:00 p.m. PT, UniMás and TUDN). The playoff berth marked the Galaxy’s 20th playoff berth in the 27 years of the club’s history.
Sunday’s Decision Day match marked the 40th all-time meeting across all competitions between the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo FC, with LA leading the series 17-13-10. Against Houston, the Galaxy hold a 13-13-10 record in league play, a 1-0-0 record in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and a 3-0-0 record in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
In 27 all-time regular-season finales played, the LA Galaxy improved to 11-11-5 record.
The victory over Houston marked the Galaxy’s first win in an MLS Regular-Season finale dating back to a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC at home on Oct. 28, 2012.
LA improved to 7-7-4 record in 18 road matches played across all competitions during the 2022 campaign.
In the Galaxy’s last six matches played on the road dating back to Aug. 28, LA holds a 3-1-2 record.
The Galaxy improved to 2-11-3 this season when the opponent scores the first goal of the match.
LA improved to 10-0-3 when leading at halftime in league play this season.
Notably, Chicharito ranked tied for second in the league in scored on the road (9) behind only the San Jose Earthquake’s Jeremy Ebobisse (11) during the 2022 campaign.
Chicharito’s 15 goals scored from open play finished tied for second in the league behind only FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez (16).
Julián Araujo ranked second in the league amongst all defenders and led the Galaxy with nine assists in 33 appearances (30 starts) this season.
At 21 years, 1 month and 26 days old, Araujo became the youngest player in LA Galaxy history, and the 31st player overall in club history, to appear in 100 regular-season matches. Araujo has tallied one goal and 20 assists in 100 career regular-season appearances (89 starts) for the Galaxy.
Dejan Joveljić led the league with eight goals scored and 10 goal contributions (8 goals, 2 assists) as a substitute this year.
Notably, amongst all players that have played a minimum of 950 minutes this season, Joveljić led the league with 1.01 goals scored per 90 minutes played.
Riqui Puig leads MLS in passes completed (622), successful passes entering the final third (212) and ranks tied for first in MLS in assists (5) and has scored three goals dating back to his first start in league play on Aug. 28.
Jonathan Bond became the eighth player in team history to appear in all 34 MLS regular-season matches for the Galaxy, finishing the season with seven shutouts and 90 saves.
Gastón Brugman recorded his first career assist in the win for the Galaxy and finished the match with 88 of 94 completed passes (94% pass accuracy) and led the club with two interceptions, 12 duels won, nine possessions won and four chances created.
Douglas Costa recorded his second assist of the year.
Efraín Álvarez tallied an assist and finished the season ranked second on the team with seven assists in 28 games played (13 starts).
Next Game
Up next, the LA Galaxy play host to Nashville SC in Round One of the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Oct. 15. The match on Oct. 15 kicks off at 12:00 p.m. PT and features a national television broadcast on UniMás and TUDN.
