Ola Kamara brace had LA Galaxy in the playoffs and they blew it

The Galaxy had simple circumstances going into MLS Decision Day 2018. RSL were on a bye week and they were two points behind them for the last playoff spot. They needed a win by any means to make the playoffs. Goal differential didn’t matter. Win and they were in. Any other result and they were out.

Things started off great for the Galaxy. Ola Kamara scored two goals, first in the 27th minute and then in the 30th. The first was a nice header finish after he got two good chances prior. Minutes later, the overlapping Ashley Cole executed a great pass as Kamara split the center backs and scored with a first time shot.

The Galaxy managed the result into the start of the second half. Then things started to fall apart. First Romell Quioto made multiple great cutbacks in the box in the 57th minute against Rolf Feltscher and Daniel Steres.

Then A.J. DeLaGarza drew a penalty on Romain Alessandrini that Mauro Manotas converted against goalkeeper David Bingham. Minutes later a patented Houston counter-attack ended in Manotas burning the Galaxy defense to take the lead 3-2.

The Galaxy had a poor second half and relaxed after scoring the second goal. They didn’t flip the switch once conceding and let the result get away from them. It felt that Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring was a foregone on conclusion in this game, but the Dynamo defense surrounded him and he didn’t get enough service to make it count.

In the end, defensive mistakes leading directly to goals cost the Galaxy the game, a spot in the playoffs, and deprived neutral MLS fans of a wildcard round El Trafico match at Los Angeles FC.

Based on the performance on Sunday, this team didn’t deserve to make the playoffs.