The Los Angeles Galaxy will face their cross-city rivals, LAFC, in the Western Conference semi-finals after beating Minnesota United in the first-round of the MLS playoffs on Sunday.
Sebastian Lletget and Jonathan dos Santos scored in the 71st and 75th minutes for the Galaxy but they were made to sweat after Jan Gregus pulled one back for Minnesota in the 87th. Galaxy will now play LAFC on Thursday in a Los Angeles derby for a place in the Western Conference final. LAFC finished the regular season with the best record in MLS.
In the day’s other match, Marco Fabian’s right-footed chip in extra time proved to be the game-winning goal for the Philadelphia Union, who stunned the visiting New York Red Bulls with two second-half goals for a 4-3 win.
The third-seeded Union won their first-ever postseason game after three losses in the 10 seasons of franchise history. Philadelphia advance to play on the road against third-seeded Atlanta United on Thursday in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Fafa Picault’s 78th-minute goal sent Talen Energy Stadium into a frenzy, tying the score at three after the Union had trailed 3-1 to start the second half. The Union scored three unanswered goals after halftime and absolved goalkeeper Andre Blake of his blunders. Another apparent Union overtime goal was waved off for offside, but the Union hung on for victory.
