Joaquín Pereyra delivered a standout performance with two goals, while defender Cherrion Valerius etched his name into Minnesota United history with his first career MLS goal, as the Loftus Crew defeated Los Angeles FC 3-1 on Sunday night. The victory keeps Minnesota’s postseason campaign alive, pulling the team within two points of a Western Conference playoff berth with only one match remaining in the regular season. Pereyra struck first in the 29th minute, finishing unassisted off a throw-in to give Minnesota the lead, before Valerius extended the advantage to 2-0 in the 34th minute.
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Valerius’ goal marked a significant milestone, coming in just his sixth MLS appearance and capping a strong defensive showing. The assist for the second goal was provided by Kelvin Yeboah, who recorded his career-high fifth assist of the season, while defender Nectarios Triantis collected his third assist of the year. Although LAFC had already clinched a playoff spot, the defeat cost them a chance to finish in the top four and secure home-field advantage in the best-of-three first round, leaving them with a 12-10-11 record.
Minnesota United (10-12-11) sealed the result in the 81st minute when Pereyra scored his fifth goal of the season, assisted by rookie forward Mauricio González. This was González’s second assist of the campaign, highlighting the team’s depth and development. With the win, Minnesota United now enters its final regular-season match with momentum and a realistic path to the postseason, while LAFC must settle for a lower seed in the upcoming playoffs.
Source: Yahoo Sports
