LA Galaxy fall 5-2 in Minnesota and miss out on the MLS Cup Playoffs
The Galaxy is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with two games left this season
The LA Galaxy are eliminated from the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs following their 5-2 loss to Minnesota United. The loss combined with FC Dallas’ draw against San Jose meant LA was mathematically eliminated with two games left in the season.
Minnesota got on the scoresheet first through Hassani Dotson in the 33rd minute. The Galaxy got one back through Tyler Boyd in the 41st minute. This was his seventh goal of the MLS season - the most in league play during his career.
Just before the halftime whistle blew, Teemu Pukki made a well-timed run at the Galaxy backline and put the home side in front.
The Finnish striker didn’t stop there. He got his second goal of the game in the 60th minute to give the Loons a 3-1 lead. In the 67th minute, he got his hat trick and in the 76th he scored his fourth of the game.
LA got a late consolation goal through Dejan Joveljic in the 83rd minute of play. Once the final whistle was blown, the Galaxy needed for San Jose to beat Dallas but that moment never came.
While the Galaxy did fight back and tie the game at some point, they looked tired and desperate to get back on the scoresheet once Pukki scored his second of the game. The Loons added more damage to LA’s defense and the SoCal club was only able to get a consultation goal to end the night and their season.
“We’ve been chasing this season from day one in some ways because of the other thing, and today, we got a little bit put out of our misery maybe in that perspective, but this group I know will fight the last two home games to try to give our fans something at least down the stretch to appreciate and to see. But, I think everyone is disappointed in tonight,” coach Greg Vanney told the media after the game.
Season’s end
The LA Galaxy’s 2023 season was one with ups but mostly downs. Five players with season-ending injuries and off-the-field drama to start the season are going to play a major role in how a season plays out.
“We’ve been playing catch up for the last two-thirds of the season. Basically off the back of a not-great start. And we can put that down to many things, as obviously, you can all imagine, but whatever happened in that first 10 games, it set us back a lot,” reflected goalkeeper Jonathan Bond
The Galaxy fanbase was in the midst of a boycott due to former Galaxy president Chris Klein remaining with and it affected match attendance at the start of the season. LA got off to one of their worst start to a campaign with just six points in their first 10 games.
“If you want to talk about the season as a whole, the first 10 games were very difficult. Also the fact that the MLS season is reasonably short. Suddenly 10 of them gone, you’re running out of games. It happens very quickly. So, that’s probably where we’ll look back if we’re talking about the season as a whole,” added Bond.
Then the injuries began to pile up just as the team was finding some good form between the end of May and mid-June when they went seven games without a loss. For this crucial game in Minnesota, LA was without Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Riqui Puig, Gaston Brugman, Calegari, Martin Caceres, Jalen Neal, Chris Mavinga, and Mark Delgado - all of whom were starters for the Galaxy at some point this season.
“There’s a fine line of giving you guys excuses. We obviously know we’ve got to be better. But there have been things that you just can’t ignore when you look at the season as a whole. Injuries to Gastón, to Martín, to Chicharito, to Riqui, Lucas. And they’re not kind of four, five-week injuries. They’re season-ending injuries and we’ve got about five or six of them,” noted Bond.
“How many injuries do we have? Eight? We’ve had four of five season-ending injuries. And like I said, to some of our most important players. It’s tough,” said Tyler Boyd.
“You train all year. You start to develop some chemistry between the starting XI, the players and the player group, and we have crazy injuries like that. So, it’s so hard to manage that sort of situation.”
That lack of chemistry is evident when you look at the defense. The LA Galaxy conceded 20 goals in their last six and the five goals the Loons scored put the nail in the coffin of LA’s season.
“Tonight is a microcosm of what’s been going on. We’re a little disjointed in the defensive side. Fundamentals defensively are lacking in times. And we’re paying the price for our breakdowns. It’s just so difficult to have to score three, four goals to win games. And I don’t blame the defenders, I think it’s a collective thing,” said Vanney.
Despite these frustrating moments in the back and a reliance on outscoring their opponent to get a point, Bond made it clear that the locker room doesn’t hold anything against their coach.
“We’ve had some difficult results throughout the season, but I never heard any of the players have a bad word about Greg and that’s honestly quite rare when things aren’t going the way of the team sometimes. I think absolutely no one here really has anything bad to say about Greg.” - Jonathan Bond
Vanney’s had to get involved with the boycott by attending meetings on the matter earlier this season, being lifted to sporting director, dealing with a transfer ban, a million-dollar fine in General Allocation Money, Klein’s firing, long-term injuries, and integrating five new players while fighting for a playoff spot. Not easy to handle.
While it’s disappointing to see the Galaxy stay in 13th place for a long time this season, the team has probably never dealt with a season like this. The club fought hard until the end and put effort into staying alive in the playoff hunt.
“We know we’ve got to control what we can control, and we had to have been better throughout the season. We get that. But, I’m not stupid and neither is anyone here. It has been a difficult season and we’ve had a lot of hurdles to overcome.”
- Jonathan Bond
A Couple Silver Linings
Tyler Boyd’s 7th goal of the season on Saturday night was a career-high for goals in league play. The 28-year-old has played in every single league of the season and is second on the team with nine-goal contributions.
“ I think it's one of the first years I've actually played all season and had proper minutes. So yeah, it's nice scoring a few goals, but the end goal for me is playoffs and that trophy at the end, so it's bittersweet,” Boyd told me following the game. He admitted that this career achievement was not on his mind following the game.
With his contract up at the end of this season, he’s going to be busy in negotiation talks when the season is officially over. While it’s not the season he envisioned the team having, he’s developed into a fan favorite for his boyhood club in just one campaign.
With the Galaxy needing a goal, Jonathan Perez made another appearance off the bench. He recorded an assist in his last appearance against Austin and we broke down why his profile fits the Galaxy in a film breakdown on The Galactic Tribune.
He created two chances, won three of three duels, completed 15 of 15 passes (100%) and recorded a team-high three successful dribbles in 17 minutes played as a second-half substitute.
He’s shown flashes of that potential and could be a player that gets more playing time in LA’s final two games of the season. With Costa, Boyd, and Barrios’ future in doubt, Perez could be elevated on the depth chart by the time the 2024 campaign comes around.