The LA Galaxy, owners of a league-record five MLS Cups, are back in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Head coach Greg Vanney’s side booked their 2022 postseason ticket with a 1-1 draw against Real Salt Lake in Week 33. That’s seen them join LAFC, Austin FC and FC Dallas as four of seven Western Conference teams that’ll play into mid-October or beyond.
Playoff history, key pieces
LA were in danger of missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons, though going on a 4W-1L-5D run since mid-August allowed them to steadily climb the table.
The Galaxy last won MLS Cup in 2014, and their last postseason qualification occurred when superstar striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic mounted a near-bid for that year’s Landon Donovan MLS MVP award.
This year, LA count strikers Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez (17g/2a) and Dejan Joveljic (10g/3a) as double-digit scorers, while the midseason arrivals of midfielders Gaston Brugman and Riqui Puig have both been complete game-changers.
Offseason signings Raheem Edwards and Mark Delgado have proven crucial, too, reuniting with Vanney from their Toronto FC days. Right back Julian Araujo remains a steady attacking presence with a career-high nine assists so far, though two DP wingers – Douglas Costa and Kevin Cabral – haven’t necessarily lived up to expectations production-wise.
Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS Cup 2022 is set for Nov. 5, while the playoffs will get underway Oct. 15 with Round One games (the top seed in each conference gets a bye).
The timeline takes into consideration the FIFA 2022 World Cup starting Nov. 20 in Qatar, rather than during the event’s typical summer months.
