LAFC blew a huge chance to grab three vital points at BMO Stadium Sunday evening, falling 3-1 to Minnesota United FC in their regular season home finale. This wasn’t just another loss, it was a major stumble in their fight for a top four finish in the Western Conference, which would’ve locked in home-field advantage for the opening round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Instead, what we got was a totally lackluster effort, their first home defeat to Minnesota since 2019.
A First Half Stunner and Zero Answers
From the jump, LAFC looked out of sorts. The attack was disorganized, flat-out failing to generate any real chances through the first 30 minutes. Yeah, the defense held its ground initially, keeping Minnesota from even taking a shot for the first 28 minutes, but that only lasted so long. Then, in the 29th minute, Minnesota midfielder Joaquín Pereyra fired one past Hugo Lloris after a perfectly placed throw-in from Cherrion Valerius. Just like that, it was 1-0 visitors. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Valerius decided to get in on the action himself a mere five minutes later. He met a header from Kelvin Yeboah and volleyed it over Lloris, pushing the score to a shocking 2-0. What happened to our Black & Gold?
Stagnation and a Bicycle Kick Bright Spot
The second half brought zero change in momentum. LAFC stayed stagnant, impatient, their runs looked forced, and the quality of chances didn’t improve until it was practically too late. Denis Bouanga, Son Heung-min, and the rest of the attack just couldn’t find the composure or the cohesion to turn things around. There was no repeat of last Sunday’s comeback against the LA Galaxy when they erased a 2-0 deficit. Pereyra then delivered the final dagger in the 81st minute, drilling a left-footed strike from distance that Lloris couldn’t even get a diving hand on. That brace made it 3-0. And get this: it was only the second time since May 17 that LAFC has given up three goals in a single match.
The only real moment to cheer for? Sergio Vásquez’s absolutely audacious bicycle kick goal that snuck past Minnesota goalkeeper Drake Callender to prevent the shutout. It might just be the flashiest goal of the season for LAFC, even if it came in a losing effort. “It’s a little uncomfortable given the defeat,” Vásquez admitted after the game. “I think there was some errors in that game that is not characteristic of us as a team, but there are things that we need to correct and get better at. As far as the goal goes, it’s the first bicycl…”
Interim head coach Xavi Tamarit didn’t mince words after the game, and honestly, you can’t blame him. “I am responsible. I am not happy,” he stated, cutting right to the chase. “All of us, we are very disappointed with this game…we want to say sorry to the people who were in the stadium, who were watching us on the TV, because this is not the team we want to show.” With a home record now standing at 9-4-4 in 17 games, LAFC has just one final road match before postseason play kicks off. That last match isn’t just a tune-up, it’s a make-or-break moment to fix whatever is broken before the playoffs really begin.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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