Playoff implications were on the line at Banc of California Stadium on Tuesday night.

LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps came into Tuesday night looking to solidify their playoff chances. The Whitecaps were in the better position, needing just not to lose in order to maintain their spot above the playoff line in the Western Conference, while LAFC needed the full three points to get themselves above the playoff line.

After 90 minutes were played on Tuesday night, it was Vancouver that got what it wanted. Cristian Dajome got the Whitecaps going with an early first half goal, and while LAFC got the equalizer right before halftime, Vancouver bented a few times, but did not break in the second half, and the Whitecaps were more than happy to settle for the 1-1 draw.

“In a big game, you never want to go down early, but I thought our response was fantastic,” LAFC head coach bob Bradley said. “I really liked the way we pushed the game. We just didn’t find a way to get another goal.”

The result still leaves LAFC (12-12-9, 45 points) in contention for a playoff berth, but it leaves no room for error for LAFC heading into Decision Day, as they need to defeat the Colorado Rapids on Sunday. That task though will be difficult, as they will head to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to face a Rapids squad that is still in contention for first place in the Western Conference. LAFC will also need help, as they need either the Seattle Sounders to defeat the Whitecaps, and/or its crosstown rival LA Galaxy to defeat Minnesota United to clinch a playoff berth. LAFC must also hope for Real Salt Lake to lose or draw its last two matches.

“We’re aware there’s one chance left, (but) we must go and continue to try to do things right, we must continue
dreaming,” said LAFC defender Jesus David Murillo. “After all the chances we had didn’t good our way, but we must continue training, go in with the best attitude the next game (and) take care of that advantage.”

Vancouver (12-9-12, 48 points) took the lead in the 15th minute. The Whitecaps forced an LAFC turnover at midfield and Ryan Gauld sprung Brian White with a through ball all the way into the penalty area. White played a cross to Dajome, who evaded LAFC defender Sebastian Ibeagha to get open and Dajome fired the shot past keeper Jamal Blackman into the back net.

LAFC got and all-important goal right before halftime. A forward ball by Latiff Blessing was deflected but went to Ibeagha inside the penalty area, Ibeagha sent a ball into the six-yard box that was stopped by Javian Brown, then took a deflection off either LAFC’s Jesus David Murillo or Vancouver’s Florian Jungwirth, the ball continued forward and LAFC’s Mamadou Fall tapped the ball into the back net for the equalizer. The goal however was initially waived off, as the line judge and referee Alex Chilowicz initially ruled the ball had deflected off Murillo, which would’ve meant that Fall was offside. LAFC however contended the ball deflected off Jungwirth, Video Review was initiated, and Chilowicz determined that the ball went off Jungwirth, therefore, the goal for LAFC stood, and the scored was tied heading into halftime.

LAFC was the aggressors throughout the second half, spending most of the half on Vancouver’s side of the field, creating most of the chances in the half and getting the best shots on goal. However, neither of those scenarios resulted in a second goal for LAFC, not even Carlos Vela coming into the match in the 71st minute could provide the spark LAFC needed to push across the second goal needed to get the three points.

“Second half I thought we pushed the game really well, just the ball didn’t drop our way to get a goal in the net,” said LAFC’s Raheem Edwards. “All in all it was a good game. Now we got to look to the last game of the season, a huge matchup.”

In the end, it was Vancouver that improved its playoff positioning, as they pulled into a tie with Minnesota for fifth place in the Western Conference.