FC Dallas can inch closer to playoffs when they host LA Galaxy

Surging FC Dallas will use their "now-or-never mentality" to attempt to inch closer to a postseason spot when they host Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday afternoon in a late-season Western Conference match in Frisco, Texas.

Dallas (9-11-11, 38 points) begins the weekend in 10th place in the West, one position below the conference's final wild-card spot. The club has as many points as ninth-place San Jose with a game in hand.

Los Toros carry a seven-match unbeaten streak (three wins, four draws) into Saturday's contest. Their most recent game was a 2-2 draw in Portland on Sept. 27. Anderson Julio's 85th-minute goal proved to be the equalizer after Petar Musa scored in the 73rd minute for Dallas' other tally.

"It's just consistency and keeping the momentum we have," Dallas forward Logan Farrington said. "We hit our turning point in the season at the right time. We just need to keep carrying that into every game, especially going into a home game."

Dallas' attitude has been that the team must win points every game, and that mindset has driven Los Toros back into the playoff chase.

"Another final is coming (against the Galaxy)," FC Dallas coach Eric Quill said. "We're in the hunt, and these guys are showing that they want to be in the hunt, and that's all I can ask for. These guys are warriors right now, and they deserve to be in the mix. And I don't know if there's anybody playing better than us right now, so it's credit to them."

The Galaxy (5-17-9, 24 points) have endured a difficult campaign in 2025, are at the bottom of the West table and have long been eliminated from the postseason.

They carry the fewest points in MLS into Saturday's match but could jump D.C. United, the worst team in the East, if they beat Dallas.

LA won its most recent game, beating Sporting Kansas City 4-1 at home on Sept. 27 to post its first victory in league play in more than a month. Joseph Paintsil scored three goals before halftime to produce his first MLS hat trick, and he assisted on Diego Fagundez's tally in the second half.

The Galaxy's 3-2 home loss to Toluca FC of Liga MX in the final of the Campeones Cup on Wednesday pitted the defending champions of the top leagues in the United States and Mexico. The Galaxy led 2-1 through 84 minutes but conceded two late goals.

"It was like taking an uppercut at the end of the fight," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said after the loss to Toluca. "I feel like a lot of work got thrown into the bin in the last five minutes."

LA and Dallas will also play each other Oct. 11, this time in Carson, California, to complete the season series. That game was originally scheduled for Aug. 30 but was postponed when the Galaxy earned a spot in the Leagues Cup semifinals.

--Field Level Media