Don’t look now, but the Los Angeles Galaxy is once again building up fans’ hopes that it could slip into the MLS playoffs through the back door. The team has now won three games in a row, having tied one before that, and sits six points behind the Chicago Fire, current holder of the eighth and final playoff spot, with a game in hand. Ironically, L.A.’s final game of the season is away to the Fire, which could set up a dramatic finale between MLS’s two highest paid players, Chicago’s Cuauhtemoc Blanco and the Galaxy’s David Beckham, for the right to play in the final — assuming that Beckham returns from a knee injury in time.
The L.A. Daily News’ Nick Green points out that the Galaxy’s end-of-season run is eerily similar to its improbable turnaround in 2005, when the team squeaked into the playoffs and then won MLS Cup thanks to a stunning overtime strike from the now-departed Pando Ramirez.
But there are many obstacles. The Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew are the other two teams gunning for Chicago’s place. L.A. has a game in hand over both, but Colorado has the easiest schedule — on paper, anyway. To get to the playoffs, L.A. needs to put together a huge performance at MLS champ Houston this weekend and then a pair of home wins against second-to-last place Toronto and the leaky New York Red Bulls. That would set up a playoff showdown with Chicago, which faces league leader D.C. United and the New England Revolution in its remaining games.