It’s clicking in all the right ways for the LA Galaxy’s offense in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Goals have come in bunches, a total of 15 in just three games, a new league record for the most goals scored through a team’s first three games to begin a playoff campaign. Now, the Galaxy are two goals away from tying Greg Vanney’s Toronto FC’s 2016 side’s 17 goals in six playoff games. That record could fall as early as this weekend when the Galaxy take on the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference Final at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, November 30 at 7 p.m. But most importantly, winning and clinching a spot in MLS Cup comes first.
“Whenever you’re in a playoff environment, goals really do change the energy of the game, especially when it’s knockout, teams start to feel that they have to extend themselves a little bit more to get back into the game,” Vanney said. “That might happen in the 40th minute, that might happen in the 70th minute. But in the two games against Colorado and especially at their place, once they decided they would really try to get out and get at us and space had opened up and they were maybe a little slower closing behind each other, then floodgates opened up for us.”
The Galaxy’s front four of Riqui Puig, Joseph Paintsil, Dejan Joveljić and Gabriel Pec have been on a tear this season. The new additions of Paintsil and Pec, both Designated Players (DPs) along with Puig, have found quick chemistry. Puig, Paintsil and Pec (a.k.a the Killa P’s), have all scored in the same match four times this season, the most recent being the Galaxy’s 4-1 win at Colorado in the second game of the Round One Best-of-3 Series.
Puig’s 17 goals, Paintsil’s 13, Pec’s 19 and, striker Dejan Joveljić’s 19 goals in MLS competition (regular season + playoffs) bring the front four’s tally to 68 goals. The Galaxy totaled 69 goals in the MLS Regular Season, more than anyone else in the Western Conference and the third-most in MLS.
In the playoffs alone, Puig has recorded six goal contributions (4 goals, 2 assists), Joveljić has scored four goals and added two assists, Paintsil has three goals and one assist and 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year Pec has produced five goal contributions (3 goals, 2 assists).
Pec, Paintsil and Joveljić each recorded a brace in the Galaxy’s 6-2 win over Minnesota in the Western Conference Semifinals, marking the first time in MLS postseason history that three teammates have scored two goals in the same match.
“Our attack’s been pretty good. We know that,” Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy said. “I think teams across the league know that. I see it every day. It’s brutal to play against them sometimes but they’re good. We have a good front four and it’s not just the front four. We’ve got other guys joining the attack and it’s been a point of emphasis that when you attack you need to get back and I think that’s shown in the playoffs.”
This weekend, the Galaxy attack will be put to the test against a stout Seattle Sounders defense that kept LAFC to one goal in 120 minutes of play in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Seattle defense is anchored by veteran goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who kept Vanney’s record-setting Toronto side at bay in MLS Cup in 2016 before winning after a penalty shootout despite the Sounders not mustering a shot on goal for 120 minutes. Frei’s nine saves against LAFC has him in good form ahead of Saturday’s match.
“Stefan has been doing it for years and does it in the biggest ways on the biggest stages,” Vanney said. “You got to make sure when you finish you finish for real and you put it in the best spot you can because his positioning and his reflexes are good and his leadership quality and presence in the back is outstanding.”
After 15 shots (nine on goal) and 70.1 percent possession against Minnesota, the offense won’t be silenced easily in the Western Conference Final.
Five of the Galaxy’s 15 goals this postseason have come after the 80th minute and six from the 75th minute onward. The Galaxy have worn teams down, and led late, forcing their opponents to open up and allow the Galaxy’s speedy attack to capitalize on the newly freed space. The club hasn’t needed to win games late in the playoffs yet, but that’s all thanks to getting leads and holding onto them before further adding to the tallies.
“You need guys to play at their level and I think everyone is playing at their expected level,” Vanney said. “You get guys peaking and doing that at the right time, of course with the qualities in our team then good things are going to happen.”
