The only two previous meetings between the Galaxy and Nashville took place earlier this season, with LA winning, 1-0, on a Dejan Jovelijic goal in April before Hany Mukhtar and Riqui Puig cancelled each other out from the penalty spot in September. Chicharito missed an earlier penalty for the Galaxy as the match in September was one of three times LA won multiple penalties this season, tied for most such game in a single season in MLS history (Atlanta in 2018, Portland in 2016).
This will be the Galaxy’s first home playoff game in six years, since a conference semifinal match against Colorado in 2016. Prior to this drought, the Galaxy had never gone more than three years without hosting a playoff game. LA has won 26 of its last 30 home playoff games (D2 L2) dating back to 1999, including winning the last eight postseason games in Carson dating back to the 2012 conference finals. Chicago (1998), Dallas (2010) and San Jose (2012) are the only teams to win a playoff match outright at the Galaxy.
The Galaxy lost just one of their final 11 games of the season (W5 D5), including winning three of the last four, to earn a home playoff game. The Galaxy are unbeaten in their last six home matches (W3 D3) since a 3-2 loss to the Earthquakes on July 13, their longest single-season home unbeaten run since winning six in a row at Dignity Health Sports Park to open the 2019 season.
Nashville SC has made the playoffs in each of its first three MLS season, advancing to the conference semifinals both years, the first expansion team in MLS history to advance at least one round in the playoffs in each of its first to MLS seasons. Nashville has never lost a playoff game over 90 minutes, losing in extra time to the Crew in 2020 and on penalties to the Union in 2021.
Chicharito finished the season strong, with four goals in his last four games, including one against Houston on Decision Day. Since the start of August, Chicharito has scored 11 MLS goals, tied with Hany Mukhtar, Brenner and Daniel Gazdag for the most in the league in that time.
Despite not scoring in his last two games, Hany Mukhtar won the 2022 MLS Golden Boot with 23 goals this season as the German became the third European to win the trophy (Bradley Phillips-Wright in 2014 and 2016, Nemanja Nikolic in 2017). Mukhtar also led the MLS with 34 goal contributions this season, with a league-high 14 of those coming on the road (8 goals, 6 assists).
