Two teams battling for postseason berths meet Wednesday when the Los Angeles Galaxy visits Toronto FC.
Los Angeles (11-11-4, 37 points) holds the seventh and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With only 26 games played, the Galaxy have at least one game at hand over every other conference rival.
An ugly 1-5-0 stretch, leading into the first week of August, put the Galaxy’s playoff chances in jeopardy, but the team appears back on track with a 2-0-1 record in its last three games.
“We need to stay together, we need … consistency,” Galaxy forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez said following Sunday’s 2-1 win over the New England Revolution. “Three games, two wins and one draw, so I think we’re (almost) there but we cannot just think that we’re the best. We need to be humble.”
Hernandez had a goal and an assist on Sunday, and his strike in the 15th minute ended up being the game-winning score. Hernandez is on a four-game scoring streak, with five goals and two assists in that span.
Toronto FC (9-13-6, 33 points) also has been powered by star players. In seven games with Toronto, Federico Bernardeschi has five goals and three assists, while Lorenzo Insigne has four goals and two assists.
The club is 4-1-2 over those seven games, including a 2-0 road win over Charlotte FC on Saturday. Bernardeschi and Insigne each scored and assisted on each other’s goals.
As good as the duo have been, Toronto FC coach Bob Bradley believes “as they get sharper, as they can contribute more in other ways, that makes our team better. … I think they both know that there’s more there for them.”
Toronto is three points behind the Columbus Crew for seventh place and the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Only nine points separate fifth place and 13th place in the East.
Galaxy midfielder Marky Delgado and Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osorio are each questionable after missing their team’s last game due to illness.
Los Angeles head coach Greg Vanney will be making his first appearance in Toronto since resigning as Toronto FC’s head coach after the 2020 season. Delgado, Victor Vazquez, Eriq Zavaleta and Raheem Edwards are former Toronto FC players currently on the Galaxy roster.
–Field Level Media
