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The participants in the 2022 MLS Cup final are set, and for the first time since 2003, the top seed in each conference — the Philadelphia Union in the East and LAFC in the West — will square off.
It will take some doing to reach the drama of that 2003 final, won by the San Jose Earthquakes over the Chicago Fire by a score of 4-2 with some wild changes in momentum. But these two teams have the talent, toughness and cohesiveness to deliver something memorable, and Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles is the perfect venue for a final.
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Here’s how the two teams got there.
Philadelphia Union 3, New York City FC 1: Philly finally overcome their biggest foe LAFC 3, Austin FC : Arango answers his critics (again) Arango again lifted LAFC to a big win in the postseason as they clinched the Western Conference title. Next stop: MLS Cup. Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports Remember when Chico Arango was on the trading block? It didn’t matter how many goals he scored: he didn’t help LAFC defend enough from the front, or so the thinking went, and therefore he was surplus to requirements. But as the old adage goes, sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make, and so it proved for LAFC in its 3-0 Western Conference victory over Austin FC.
It was Arango who provided some reward for LAFC’s first-half dominance, heading home Carlos Vela’s corner in the 29th minute. Given the final margin of victory combined with the Black-and-Gold’s control of the midfield throughout, it’s tempting to think there was an air of inevitability about the win. But there have been plenty of times when a dominant team failed to cash in on its opportunities and then got punished — ultimately, Arango’s tally provided a bit of calm and confidence.
The goal also highlighted Arango’s underrated ability in the air. At 5-foot-10, it would be stretch to say Arango is undersized, but he isn’t a giant either. The tally was the fourth with his head this season, a mark bettered only by FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez (6), Atlanta United’s Juan Jose Purata (6) and the Portland Timbers ‘ Bill Tuiloma (5). The fact that Arango has scored 32 goals in 53 games — including two this postseason — makes his contribution priceless.
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The same could be said about a much less flashy component of LAFC’s lineup: holding midfielder Ilie Sanchez . The Spaniard was a free agent at the end of 2021, and the prevailing thought was that he no longer had the legs to be a mainstay in a team’s lineup. But he’s been just that for LAFC, was a Best XI selection this year, and was part of a defensive effort on Sunday that limited Austin’s Sebastian Driussi to 33 touches, the fewest in a game all season in which the Argentine went 90 minutes. And he has long been the metronome for LAFC’s attack.
Now it’s up to LAFC to finish the deal, and fulfill the promise that they have shown since their inaugural season back in 2018. With a home match in front of their raucous fans, the odds that the Black-and-Gold get the job done are excellent indeed.
