The last time Galaxy played in the final of the Western MLS conference, Gabriel Pec was in primary school, Joseph Paintsil was in high school and Riqui Puig had just entered the academic system of Barcelona.
It's been a while.
But with the three players contributing to the score on Sunday, the Galaxy has returned to the conference championship match for the first time in a decade with a 6-2 Victory Above the united minnesota before a closed shopping crowds of 26,192 at Dignity Health Sports Park. They will meet the Sounders of Seattle on Saturday in Carson, where the galaxy is undefeated in 18 mLS. The winner of this match will host the MLS Cup final on December 7.
However, the Galaxy did not return to the Final Four in the playoffs, however; They looted and unleashed there, destroying everyone on their way while marking 15 times in three victories in the playoff series in which they have never dragged. On Sunday, they were even more dominant, keeping the ball for more than 60 of the 90 minutes, making almost three times more passes than Minnesota and filling more than 93%.
If they are not the best team in MLS, there is certainly the best team that remains. But here is the frightening part: coach Greg Vanney And his team thinks they can improve.
“I'm not sure I have never seen a perfect game in football in my life,” said Vanney. “So there is always a way to improve. There are always details that you can try to tighten. But I am satisfied with the general body body. I like the group's mentality. The way the guys are and locked up.”
The work, however, is not finished because the galaxy needs two additional victories before being able to hoist the MLS Cup. And that is, said midfielder Edwin Cerrillo, that's what the team is focusing on.
“The mentality changes when these are playoffs,” he said. “We have an excellent opportunity.”
The goals on Sunday came from the usual suspects with PEC, Paintsil and Dejan Jovljic score goals in each half. PUIG, JOVELJIC and PAINTSIL have all had assisted passes.
Joseph Paintsil de Galaxy, on the right, famous with the teammates Gabriel Pec, on the left, and Riqui Puig after having marked during the first half of a 6-2 victory against Minnesota on Sunday.
(Etienne Laurent / Associated Press)
PEC started the rout 27 seconds after kicking off, flowing along Puig, leaning through the ball of the central circle, then beating the Minnesota Dayne St. Clear goalkeeper with a left foot to the distant post.
It was the fastest goal of the playoffs in the history of the franchise.
The Minnesota recovered this goal less than five minutes later when Kelvin Yeboah raised a shot just under the crossbar to equalize the match. But it was really the last minnesota saw of the match, the galaxy going ahead to stay in the 18th minute.
And again, Pec was in the midst of things. He pulled a fault in front of the box which led to a free kick that Marco Reus sent to the box for Jveljic, who exceeded four defenders of Minnesota to nod his head in front of St. Clair for an advance of 2-1.
PEC, who led the galaxy by scoring and finished third among the outdoor players in minutes played during the regular season, brought his game to another level in the playoffs. He was so active on Sunday, pushing forward in the attack and then sprinting in defense, that his white galaxy kit was covered with green spots in the middle of the first half, partially obscuring the n ° 11 on the back.
“He can beat you on the right. He can beat you on the left,” said Vanney about Pec. “He can play in combination. It is a triple and quadruple threat. He becomes almost unwavering because he always has anyone who treats with him guess.
“It's just the young man who makes things that few people can do.”
The galaxy added in their advance just before the intermission when the crossing of Miki Yamane on the right side missed Joveljic in front of the goal but found Painsil on the left side of the six yards box. He has a time in time in a left shot to do it 3-1.
Yeboah has halved the deficit on a penalty kick in the first half downtime, but Pec hit five minutes again in the second half, making a spectacular broken field of 75 yards on the right side before Bancer a soft blow from the bottom of the left post.
“I just saw that I would be able to continue to dribble and reach the goal. It gave me more confidence and I thought it could happen,” said PEC by translator Camila Kawashita. “It was one of the most beautiful objectives of my career. I can't wait to go home to watch (a replay). ”
But, he warned the Sounders: “There is always a way to improve. I hope I can be better.”
Pec’s second goal, but that didn’t stop the galaxy from scoring with Paintsil and Jveljic adding each of the goals in the last three minutes of regulation, after Jefferson Diaz, from Minnesota, received a second yellow card, leaving his team with only 10 men. The six goals were the most for the Galaxy against an MLS team since September 2019.
Which is good, but it is not enough, said Vanney. The last time the galaxy went so far, they finished the season by winning the title MLS. After a decade of drought, the team is two victories to start again.
“We are now able to do something special,” he said. “Put yourself in the running and give you the best chance of doing it is the expectation of the galaxy and the galaxy fans base. This is where we are at this stage.
“The galaxy is back. And that's what people were looking for. “
