Galaxy want win over Austin FC to extend playoff possibilities

For the Los Angeles Galaxy, the equation to earn an MLS playoff spot is straightforward: Get a win and a tie from their last two matches and hope for help.

They can take care of the first part on Saturday when they host Austin FC, but they’re also hoping the Seattle Sounders and/or Real Salt Lake will stumble. Seattle’s Sunday trip to West-leading Vancouver provides hope for LA, as does RSL’s Saturday visit to fifth-place San Jose.

But first things first: the Galaxy (10-11-11, 41 points) must take care of business against an opponent that has been eliminated from playoff contention. LA needs the win because it sits one point behind ninth-place RSL and two in arrears of eighth-place Seattle in the West table.

The Galaxy could have earned three points on Sunday night, but they settled for a 2-2 draw with archrival Los Angeles FC. Joseph Paintsil’s brace gave them a two-goal advantage – only to have it wiped out in 11 minutes’ time.

“We just got to get ourselves three (points) at home,” said LA coach Greg Vanney. “Be smart about it. Get ourselves three at home and then see what the last one looks like. … I feel like nobody should want to play us as we get into the playoffs.”

Austin (8-14-10, 34 points) would like to have something to say about that despite sitting next-to-last in the West. It fell 2-1 at home to RSL Wednesday night, wasting Jorge Alastuey’s first career goal in the 52nd minute that provided a brief edge.

Two RSL goals in a six-minute span gassed that advantage and left interim coach Davy Arnaud vexed.

“What frustrated me most was we started OK and then about halfway through the (first) half, we fell off,” he said. “Our ball security wasn’t very good. We’d move up into the attacking third and lose cheap balls. It’s not the type of game we want to play.”

It was the fourth loss in five fixtures for Austin, which ripped off an eight-game unbeaten streak Aug. 19 to Sept. 26 to get into contention briefly.

–Field Level Media