Photo courtesy of the LA Galaxy.
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez added to more goals to his tally for the 2021 season on Sunday evening.
All year long, things were going right for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
All throughout the season, the Galaxy had done just about everything right. Greg Vanney had been hired as head coach in the offseason and right away, took a Galaxy team coming off a 2020 season that was arguably its worst season in 12 years, and had them above the playoff line in the Western Conference for most of the season, his tactics and coaching acumen he displayed in Toronto clearly rubbing off on the Galaxy.
Of course, it wasn’t just Vanney who had improved the Galaxy. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, the Galaxy’s prize signing in 2020, had struggled on the pitch last season, but had turned things around, getting off to a blazing start to this season and overcoming a calf injury that had kept him out of the starting for two months to resume his goal scoring prowess.
Even after enduring a two-month winless streak and not having Chicharito in the lineup for an extended time, the Galaxy had stayed above the playoff line and came into its regular season finale against Minnesota United needing either a win or a draw as well as several results to go their way in order to secure a playoff berth.
The Galaxy rallied from two deficits on Sunday against Minnesota, and Chicharito scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season. However, in the end, its 3-3 draw with Minnesota was not enough, as Real Salt Lake’s upset win at Sporting Kansas City meant that for the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Galaxy will be spending the MLS Cup playoffs at home.
“There’s going to be time to see in which part we didn’t do well enough, it’s obviously that we didn’t deserve to be in the playoffs,” Chicharito said. “It hurts when you give everything to something, it hurts. I’m very hurt. I feel sorry for myself, for the whole organization, for the whole family, for the fans, for the media, for everyone.”
Minnesota United looked to solidify its playoff position early in the first half. The Loons took the lead in the 21st minute, as Romain Metanire took a ball from Emmanuel Reynoso and dribbled forward into Galaxy territory. Metanire then played a pass to Franco Fragapane, who touched a ball into the penalty area and shot the ball past keeper Jonathan Bond, beating him far post. The goal however was initially waived off, as the linesman ruled Fragapane offside on Metanire’s pass, it eventually went to video review, and referee Kevin Stott ruled that Fragapane was onside, thus giving Minnesota United the goal and the lead. Minnesota was not done yet, as they doubled their lead in the 32nd minute, as Reynoso sent a corner kick into the penalty area, the ball was headed in the air by Bakaye Dibassy, Michael Boxall attempted a bycicle kick, and though he only got a piece of the ball, it was enough to send the ball into the six-yard box and Lod swooped in and buried the shot near post.
“We were a little bit naïve on the night,” Vanney said. “We gave up two goals off our attacking corner kicks that turned into transitions where the ball breaks out. We have opportunity to foul and end the play and get everybody behind the ball, and we naively just try to defend it, which is nice and it’s honest and all that stuff. But that’s not what tonight is about or any other game.”
The Galaxy though were not just going to go away quietly with its playoff hopes on the line. The Galaxy got an all-important goal right before halftime. Rayan Raveloson played a ball to Kevin Cabral, who took a touch into the penalty area, then crossed a ball into the six-yard box and Sebastian Lletget swooped in at the far post and buried the shot to halve Minnesota’s lead heading into the break. The five minutes into the second half, the Galaxy caught Minnesota, as Victor Vazquez played a ball to Julian Araujo, who crossed to the penalty spot and Chicharito one-timed a ball past keeper Tyler Miller into the back net and just like that, the Galaxy’s hopes for the postseason were revived.
Photo courtesy of the LA Galaxy.
Sebastian Lletget scored an important goal at the end of the first half to get the LA Galaxy back on track on Sunday.
But just as the Galaxy were back in the game, an unfortunate bounce in the 62nd minute put LA back behind. Minnesota was on a counter, Reynoso sprung Fragapane forward, and Fragapane played Adrien Hanou into the penalty area. Hano, anticipating Fragapane trailing the play, crossed just outside the six, Araujo cut off the pass, but the ball went into the back net, resulting in a Galaxy own goal, which put Minnesota back in front.
The Galaxy though continued to press the issue, and it was Chicharito that once again revived the Galaxy’s playoff hopes. It happened in the 75th minute, as Araujo crossed into the penalty area at the far post area, Efrain Alvarez played a ball back towards the penalty spot area, Vazquez tried to get to the ball, missed, but the ball fell to Chicharito, who took a shot that appeared to go off the hand area of Biassy, Chicharito appealed for the handball, but the ball fell back to him and Chicharito alertly and immediately took the shot that beat Miller into the back net for the second equalizer.
The match stayed tied late in the second half, but Minnesota got one last shot to steal the full three points. It started in the 87th minute, when Fragapane fired a shot inside the penalty that deflected off Derrick Williams’ right arm, and Stott whistled hand ball on Williams, giving Minnesota a penalty. Fragapane stepped up to the penalty spot to finish the job, Fragapane shot to his left, but the ball hit off the left post and back into play. It looked like destiny would send the Galaxy to Seattle for a playoff date with the Sounders, but just as the match was heading into stoppage time, 1,600 miles away in Kansas City, Real Salt Lake’s Damir Kreilach redirected Justim Meram’s corner kick into the back net with just seconds remaining in its match with Sporting Kansas City to send RSL to the last-minute win. The Galaxy pressed on in stoppage time, but were unable to push across that last goal and when Stott blew the whistle for the last time, the Galaxy were officially out of the playoff picture.
