CARSON — The key to any successful season is your play at home.
In recent years, the Galaxy have struggled at home, including last season’s 6-5-6 record.
This season, opponents haven’t been treated friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park and that continued in Saturday’s final home game of the regular season.
Dejan Joveljic’s 76th minute goal helped the Galaxy (19-7-7, 64 points) hold off a pestering Austin FC side for a 2-1 win in front of a sellout crowd of 26,574.
The win is the Galaxy’s 13th at home, giving them a regular-season home record of 13-1-3. The only loss came to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. The Galaxy earned 42 points at home this season.
“There was great energy in the stadium and it shows the amount of support this group has had,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “They rode it. The fans bring energy and the players are running, creating goal-scoring chances and it feeds into it.”
The celebration was held off due a 12-minute stoppage period that the teams had to play due to a hectic second half, that saw bodies hitting the floor as if it was a MMA fight.
Austin pushed for the equalizer during the marathon-stoppage time. In the seventh minute, Jon Gallagher got behind the Galaxy and popped in a header for the potential game-tying goal, but the linesman raised his flag for offside.
In 10th minute of stoppage time, Austin FC earned a free kick, that Alex Ring sent directly toward Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy, who wasted a little bit of time and eventually referee Ted Unkel blew the whistle.
Even later into stoppage, a near melee erupted as an Austin FC player took out Riqui Puig. Players from both sides had to be separated. The final card count was high: the Galaxy were assessed six yellow cards, Austin FC four and one red card.
Joveljic’s goal snapped a 1-1 tie after Austin FC has tied the game in the 55th minute on Sebastian Driussi’s goal.
Joveljic’s goal could be one of the biggest this season because it led to the Galaxy restoring their six-point lead ahead of second-place LAFC in the Western Conference.
LAFC has two games remaining, including next Sunday during the international break. The Galaxy has one game remaining and that’s on Decision Day, the final day of the regular season on the road against the Houston Dynamo.
The last thing the Galaxy has to clinch is their seeding in the Western Conference playoffs. There were possibilities that could have seen them clinch the No. 1 spot Saturday. However, LAFC defeated Sporting Kansas City to move to 58 points. The Galaxy could likely clinch the top seed after LAFC’s game against the Vancouver Whitecaps next Sunday.
Gabriel Pec opened the scoring in the 31st minute with his 15th goal of the season. Riqui Puig was credited with the assist, switching the ball to the right to Pec, who beat his defender, then went far post, alluding Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver.
The game went into halftime with the Galaxy leading 1-0.
“Today is a moment we have to grow from,” Vanney said. The playoffs are going to be another test for us, next we have Houston and that’s an important game seeing where things are at.”
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