Colorado Rapids eliminated Los Angeles FC from the playoffs with a 5-2 victory
The Colorado Rapids eliminated Los Angeles FC from the playoffs with a 5-2 victory on Sunday night, moving into first place in the Western Conference. Jonathan Lewis scored two goals.
In the 53rd minute, Lewis scored his second goal after Diego Rubio stole the ball deep in LA territory.
Colorado (17-7-10) also had goals from Collen Warner, Cole Bassett, and Dominique Badji, who secured a first-round bye by a point after Seattle and Vancouver drew 1-1. The Rapids had their first five-goal game of the season.
Los Angeles (12-13-9) needed Vancouver to lose to make the playoffs, so Cristian Arango and Brian Rodriguez scored second-half goals.
In a thrilling and goal-filled Decision Day match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the Colorado Rapids claimed the Western Conference’s top seed in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs and a berth in the 2022 Concacaf Champions League, defeating LAFC 5-2. LAFC has been ruled out of contention for the playoffs.
The Rapids secured home-field advantage in the West and their first CCL involvement since 2018, thanks to a tie between the Seattle Sounders and the Vancouver Whitecaps, as well as a draw between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake.
Jonathan Lewis made a wonderful touch past Jamar Blackman on a Kellyn Acosta cross in the 18th minute to give Colorado the lead. In the 26th minute, LAFC, who needed a win and some help to earn their own postseason berth, saw a huge opportunity to equalize go begging when Cristian Arango had an open net but shot it off the post. At the half-hour mark, Bob Bradley would introduce Carlos Vela into the game in an attempt to rekindle the offensive.
A Collen Warner shot inside the box was deflected into the net by Blackman just minutes later, doubling the Rapids’ lead.
Lewis scored again early in the second half to complete his hat trick and make it 3-0, but Arango shook off his earlier error by scoring past William Yarbrough to narrow the deficit to 3-1. However, the Rapids recovered their three-goal lead fewer than 10 minutes later when Cole Bassett created space for himself outside the box to knock in a banger.
With fewer than 20 minutes to go, LAFC kept themselves in the game when Brian Rodriguez’s shot bounced off Steven Beitashour and past Yarbrough to make it a 4-2 game. Dominique Badji, on the other hand, made it 5-2 barely minutes after entering the game.
That was the final margin as the Rapids clinched top place in the Western Conference, as well as a chance to host the MLS Cup if the New England Revolution fail to advance to the final.