The longest season in MLS history will continue one more week for LAFC.
With Saturday’s 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Western Conference final, LAFC earned a spot in next weekend’s Cup final with the Columbus Crew, adding a 53rd match to what has already been the league’s most exhausting schedule ever. But that’s not the only history the defending league champions hope to make in Ohio. With one more victory LAFC will become just the fourth team to win consecutive titles and the first to do so since the Galaxy in 2012.
Surviving that arduous schedule has not just made LAFC tired, it made the team better, midfielder Kellyn Acosta said. That’s a big reason why the team will again be playing for a title on Dec. 9.
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“It was definitely difficult because this is a season where we as players, a lot of us haven’t experienced this,” Acosta said. “There was a stretch where we were playing every three days. With travel and all the tournaments and emotional roller coaster, not only just physically, it just allowed us to just grow as a team, and face all this adversity head on and face it together.
“Having that willingness, that togetherness has brought us to this point, and having that strong bond pushes us on and to MLS Cup.”
Ryan Hollingshead gave LAFC the only goal it needed in the 44th minute, pouncing on the rebound of Giorgio Chiellini header and drilling it over Houston keeper Steve Clark. Houston defender Franco Escobar, who played for LAFC last season, accounted for the second goal in the 80th minute, sliding in front of a low Diego Palacios’ cross in the six-yard box and deflecting it behind Clark and into the open net.
For Hollingshead, the goal was his third of the playoffs and the 32nd of his MLS career, tying him with Graham Zusi for the most goals by an MLS defender over the last 13 years. And LAFC never looked back after that.
“There’s two ways to do it, right?” he said. “You can be as fast and technically sound, take guys on one-on-one and attack. Or you just show up in the right place at the right time.”
Hollingshead chose the latter, with his knowledge of Clark and his teammates playing a decisive factor in the…