_by_Subashwilfred_(20180630233148).jpg) Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, the host venue for MLS Cup 2022 | |||||||
| Event | MLS Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Afterextra time Los Angeles FC won 3–0 onpenalties | |||||||
| Date | November 5, 2022 (2022-11-05) | ||||||
| Venue | Banc of California Stadium,Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||
| MLS Cup MVP | John McCarthy (Los Angeles FC) | ||||||
| Referee | Ismail Elfath | ||||||
| Attendance | 22,384 | ||||||
| Weather | Sunny, 71 °F (22 °C)[1] | ||||||
←2021 2023 → | |||||||
MLS Cup 2022 was the 27th edition of theMLS Cup, the championship match ofMajor League Soccer (MLS) at the conclusion of the2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. Thesoccer match took place on November 5, 2022, atBanc of California Stadium inLos Angeles, California, United States. It was contested by hostsLos Angeles FC from theWestern Conference and thePhiladelphia Union of theEastern Conference to determine the champion of the2022 season. Both clubs finished the regular season atop their respective conference standings with the same number ofpoints, but LAFC won theSupporters' Shield with the wins tiebreaker.
Los Angeles FC won their first MLS Cup title in apenalty shootout following a 3–3draw inextra time. The score matched the record for the highest-scoring final in MLS Cup history and included the two latest goals to be scored in anMLS Cup Playoffs match, whichJack Elliott andGareth Bale scored instoppage time. The shootout ended in a 3–0 shutout for LAFC and their substitutegoalkeeperJohn McCarthy, who made two saves in the shootout and was named themost valuable player (MVP) of the match.
The match was played at Banc of California Stadium, asoccer-specific stadium owned by Los Angeles FC, and had 22,384 spectators. It was broadcast in the United States onFox Sports in English and bothUnivision andTUDN in Spanish. These broadcasts drew a combined 2.16 million viewers, the second-highest television audience in MLS Cup history. LAFC became the eighth team in MLS to win a domesticdouble and qualified for the2023 CONCACAF Champions League, where they finished as runners-up.
TheMLS Cup is the post-season championship ofMajor League Soccer (MLS), a professional clubsoccer league in the United States and Canada. The2022 season was the 27th in MLS history, and was contested by 28 teams organized into theeastern andwestern conferences.[2] Each team played 34 matches during the regular season, which runs from late February to early October, twice against each intra-conference opponent and eight times for inter-conference opposition in an unbalanced schedule.[3] The schedule was adjusted due to the2022 FIFA World Cup, which began in late November 2022.[4] The seven clubs in each conference with the mostpoints qualify for theMLS Cup Playoffs, which is played over four rounds from October to early November. Each round had asingle-elimination match that was hosted by the higher-seeded team; the top team in each conference was also given abye to the Conference Semifinals.[5]
Both of the finalists,Los Angeles FC (LAFC) and thePhiladelphia Union, were appearing in their first MLS Cup final and finished atop their conference standings in the regular season. The teams were tied on points and theSupporters' Shield was decided by the first tiebreaker, the total number of wins; LAFC had two more wins than Philadelphia.[6] The two teams played each other once during the regular season, ending in a 2–2draw in early May atBanc of California Stadium in Los Angeles; it was the third consecutive draw between the two teams since 2019.[7] LAFC was characterized as having a "star-studded" lineup relying on international talent while the Union was a "blue-collar alternative" side that relied on data-based, cost-effective signings andhomegrown players.[8]
MLS Cup 2022 was the fourth final to be contested between the topseeds from each conference and the first since the2003 final, which was also played in the Los Angeles area;[9] it was also the fourth between two first-time finalists.[10][11] The final was the first since2014 to not feature eitherSeattle Sounders FC orPortland Timbers representing the Western Conference.[12]
Los Angeles FC entered MLS in 2018 as anexpansion team, becoming the third club based in the Los Angeles area following the folding ofChivas USA a few years prior.[13] Under head coachBob Bradley, LAFC won the Supporters' Shield in 2019 and broke the regular season points record. They advanced in the playoffs to the Conference Final but were eliminated by eventual MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders FC.[14] LAFC finished seventh in the West and qualified for the playoffs during the following season, which was shortened due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. In the first round, Seattle again defeated LAFC.[15] LAFC also finished as runners-up in the2020 CONCACAF Champions League and missed the playoffs in 2021.[16]
In January 2022,Steve Cherundolo, former assistant coach and manager of LAFC's affiliate teamLas Vegas Lights FC, was hired to replace Bradley as head coach. Fans criticized the move, citing Cherundolo's inexperience in MLS and his coaching record at Las Vegas, where he won six of thirty-two matches.[17][18] During the offseason, LAFC traded with other MLS clubs to acquire new players, including defenderRyan Hollingshead fromFC Dallas forMarco Farfan;[17] defenderFranco Escobar fromAtlanta United FC and midfielderKellyn Acosta fromColorado Rapids, both forgeneral allocation money;[19] and forwardIlie Sánchez from free agency.[20][21] LAFC also traded withVancouver Whitecaps FC forgoalkeeperMaxime Crépeau, who joined his former manager (now assistant coach)Marc Dos Santos and free agent signingJohn McCarthy as his backup to replace three young goalkeepers who had played in 2021.[22][23]
LAFC were undefeated in their opening five matches but lost to crosstown rivalLA Galaxy in the year's firstEl Tráfico derby.[24] LAFC took first place in the Western Conference during the streak and kept a narrow lead overAustin FC and LA Galaxy, including a run of eight matches in twenty-eight days through April and May.[25][26] By the mid-point of the season in late June, LAFC had amassed an11–3–3 record and were five points ahead of Austin in the Western Conference standings, and had a five-match unbeaten streak that ended with a loss to Vancouver.[27][28] LAFC made several major signings from European leagues during the summer transfer window, beginning with wingerGareth Bale fromReal Madrid and Italian defenderGiorgio Chiellini, both of whom joined LAFC in July, having been acquired withouttransfer fees, and were signed to contracts that fell below the threshold forDesignated Players.[21][29]
With their new signings, LAFC went on a seven-match winning streak that lasted into August and outscored opponents 19–5; Bale scored two goals as a substitute.[30] During the streak, the club widened their leads over the Union and Austin atop the league standings and were on course to match the 2021 points record set by theNew England Revolution.[31][32] In August, LAFC transferred former Designated PlayersBrian Rodríguez andDiego Rossi to foreign clubs to free upcap space to sign Spanish midfielderCristian Tello and Gabonese strikerDénis Bouanga.[33][34] These moves completed a summer transfer window in which the club spent $10 million and brought its payroll above $19 million.[35] The team qualified for a playoffs berth on August 20, setting a record for earliest playoffs clinch at 25 matches,[36] but LAFC won only one of their six following matches while playing several teams on the road.[37] LAFC briefly slid to second in the Supporters' Shield race behind the Union in mid-September[38] but retook the lead and won their second Shield on the penultimate matchday of the season in Portland.[17][39] Through the regular season, Cherundolo used 32 different starting lineups and had difficulty integrating Bale, who did not play a full match and appeared 12 times.[40][41]
As the top seed in the Western Conference, LAFC earned abye directly to the Conference Semifinals, where they hosted rival LA Galaxy. A goal by Bouanga, who received a through ball in the penalty area from captainCarlos Vela, opened the scoring for LAFC in the 23rd minute. The Galaxy equalized just before halftime through a misplayed header byEddie Segura thatSamuel Grandsir converted. Bouanga's second goal of the match, a tap-in from a ground cross sent byRyan Hollingshead in the 80th minute, restored LAFC's lead for five minutes until a strike by Galaxy substituteDejan Joveljić from outside the penalty area. LAFC won the match 3–2 with a goal in stoppage time byCristian Arango, who converted a rebounded shot by Bouanga thatJonathan Bond had saved.[42][43]
LAFC advanced to play second-seededAustin FC, who had twice defeated LAFC in the regular season, in the Western Conference Final at Banc of California Stadium.[44] The match's first goal was scored in the 29th minute by Arango, who headed in acorner kick taken by Vela, but Austin goalkeeperBrad Stuver's seven saves kept the score at 1–0 into the second half.[45] A Vela corner kick in the 62nd minute was headed in for anown goal byMaximiliano Urruti, who had just entered the match as a substitute. A few minutes later,Sebastien Ibeagha stepped on the foot of Austin FC'sDiego Fagúndez in the penalty area but apenalty kick was not awarded following avideo assistant referee review.[46]Kwadwo Opoku scored a third goal for LAFC in the 81st minute by collecting an Austin clearance that bounced to him at the top of the penalty area. Bouanga struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time but his goal was ruled out after Opoku was deemed to be in anoffside position during the play, leaving LAFC with a 3–0 victory.[46][47] LAFC were the first Supporters' Shield winner sinceToronto FC in2017 to earn a place in the MLS Cup final.[48]
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The Philadelphia Union entered MLS as an expansion team in 2010 and earned their first playoffs berth in their second season but were eliminated in the Conference Semifinals.[49][50] The club failed to qualify for the playoffs in the following four seasons but returned in 2016 under head coachJim Curtin, their third manager in three years.[51][52] The side also finished as runners-up in theU.S. Open Cup three times, most recently in 2018.[53] The Union won their first playoff match in 2019—their fourth postseason appearance—and advanced to the Conference Semifinals, where they lost toAtlanta United FC.[54] The club earned the Supporters' Shield, their first trophy, during the shortened 2020 season and opened the playoffs against the eighth-seededNew England Revolution, who defeated the Union in anupset.[55][56]
In 2021, the Union finished second in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the Conference Finals, where they were eliminated by eventual championsNew York City FC after 11 players were ruled ineligible to play due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.[57] The Union retained most of their players and steadily added more attacking players through the 2021 season and the subsequent offseason, signing midfielderDániel Gazdag fromBudapest Honvéd in Hungary, forwardJulián Carranza onloan fromInter Miami CF, andMikael Uhre fromBrøndby IF in Denmark; Uhre's transfer set a club record with its $2.8 million fee.[20] The Union also traded leading goalscorerKacper Przybylko and midfielderJamiro Monteiro to other MLS clubs, and sought lower-priced players from overseas to supplement homegrown players as replacements.[58][59]
The Union opened the 2022 season with a draw againstMinnesota United FC and five consecutive wins, mostly against Eastern Conference opponents, to take the lead in league standings. The team's success was attributed to a strong defense and performances from goalkeeperAndre Blake to compensate for a lack of goals scored.[24][60] Following a loss toToronto FC that ended the winning streak,[61] the club drew seven of eight matches as they found difficulty retaining leads.[62] The Union remained first in the East and ended the streak with a 2–1 home win against New York City FC that was decided with aCory Burke goal in stoppage time.[63]
On July 8, the Union won 7–0 in a match againstD.C. United, setting a new club record for margin of victory and equaling the league record.[64] The club won their following four matches, including a 6–0 victory againstHouston Dynamo FC, which brought them to second in the league standings and three points behind LAFC.[65] The Union sent Blake and defendersKai Wagner andJakob Glesnes to theMLS All-Star Game and finished August with four wins and two losses, including back-to-back 6–0 wins over D.C. United and the Colorado Rapids.[66][67] The club clinched a playoff berth with their final win in August and remained in contention for the Supporters' Shield until a 4–0 loss to expansion teamCharlotte FC in the penultimate week of the season.[68] The Union won 4–0 in their regular season finale against Toronto FC at home and tied LAFC on points in the Supporters' Shield contest, but lost on the wins tiebreaker.[58][69]
The Union finished the regular season with the league's bestgoal difference (+46), the fewest goals conceded in a 34-match season in MLS history (26), and an unbeaten record at home with the most goals scored (49), equaling the league record.[70][71] For the club's regular season performances, Jim Curtin won theSigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award for the second time, Blake won his thirdMLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award, and Glesnes was named theDefender of the Year.[72][73] Four players—Blake, Glesnes, Wagner, and Gazdag—were named to theMLS Best XI and tied the record for second-most entries from a single team in league history.[74] The Union entered the playoffs in the Conference Semifinals, where they hosted fifth-placeFC Cincinnati, who were in the playoffs for the first time.[75]Leon Flach scored the match's only goal in the 59th minute during a scramble in thepenalty area as the Union advanced with a 1–0 win; Blake made six saves to earn his 16th shutout of the year.[76]
The Eastern Conference Final atSubaru Park was a repeat of the previous year's final with New York City FC, who were without forwardTalles Magno and defenderMaxime Chanot.[77][78] New York City FC took the lead in the 57th minute with a strike fromMaximiliano Moralez following a six-player passing sequence that began with goalkeeperSean Johnson. A free kick from Glesnes in the 65th minute reached Julián Carranza, who scored the equalizer for the Union; Carranza then provided an assist on a goal two minutes later that was finished from close range by Gazdag.[77] Substitute Cory Burke scored the match's final goal in the 76th minute, having dribbled from midfield into the penalty area; he lost the ball in the box, but received it again off a mis-timed clearance from the NYCFC defense and scored.[79] The 3–1 result gave the Union their 11th consecutive home victory, equaling the longest streak in MLS history, and an undefeated record at home in 2022.[80][81]
| Los Angeles FC | Round | Philadelphia Union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st place inWestern Conference
Source:MLS Qualified for playoffs | Regular season | 1st place inEastern Conference
Source:MLS Qualified for playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opponent | Score | MLS Cup Playoffs | Opponent | Score | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bye | First round | Bye | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LA Galaxy | 3–2 (H) | Conference Semifinals | FC Cincinnati | 1–0 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austin FC | 3–0 (H) | Conference Finals | New York City FC | 3–1 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MLS Cup 2022 was hosted on November 5, 2022, by LAFC at their home stadiumBanc of California Stadium (renamed BMO Stadium in 2023)[82] inLos Angeles, California by virtue of LAFC winning the Supporters’ Shield. It is asoccer-specific stadium that seats 22,000 people and opened in April 2018.[83] Tickets were released days before the match and immediately sold out;[84] ticket prices ranged from $450 to $10,000 on secondary markets.[85] To promote the match, thePhilip F. Anschutz Trophy was displayed atUnion Station.[86]
Due to a homeUSC Trojans football game later in the day at the neighboringLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which was also thehomecoming game, LAFC announced that no parking spaces would be reserved for MLS Cup attendees at the stadium. The club encouraged the use ofMetro light rail and bus options, offering freeTAP cards for attendees,[87] as well as a shuttle bus fromDodger Stadium with free parking.[88][89] LAFC opened the stadium at 10:30 a.m. to encourage early arrivals and sold half-price concessions during the first hour.[90]
The Union organized hotel-and-ticket packages for 460 fans to travel to the MLS Cup final in Los Angeles.[91][92] The Union partnered with supporters groupSons of Ben to organize four free watch parties at venues in the Philadelphia area, including their home stadium Subaru Park.[93][94]
MLS Cup 2022 was broadcast in the United States onFox in English, and byUnivision andTUDN in Spanish, with pre-game and post-game coverage.[84] The Canadian broadcast was carried onTSN in English and onTVA Sports in French.[95] The Fox English commentary team included their crew for the2022 FIFA World Cup, including play-by-play announcerJohn Strong, analystStuart Holden, and studio hostRodolfo Landeros. For Univision,Luis Omar Tapia [es] and Ramses Sandoval provided play-by-play commentary for alternating halves with analystsDiego Balado [es] andMarcelo Balboa.[84] Fox used 24 conventional cameras, including four forslow motion replays, askycam, and a helicopter, along with 14 field microphones for their broadcast.[96] The match was also carried byESPN International in Latin America and Africa,DAZN in Europe and Brazil,Abu Dhabi Sports in the Middle East and North Africa, andSky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[97]
SiriusXM FC provided satellite radio coverage with commentatorsJoe Tolleson,Tony Meola, andKeith Costigan.[84] For the Los Angeles radio market, the match was carried in English byESPN 710 and in Spanish byKFWB 980.[97] The Union hosted a radio stream of the final on their website with local television commentatorsJP Dellacamera andDanny Higginbotham.[84][98]
The U.S. broadcast drew 2.16 million viewers, with 1.49 million on Fox and 668,000 on Univision, and had a nationalNielsen rating of 0.69.[99][100] It was the second-largest domestic television audience for an MLS Cup final after the1997 edition and increased by 38 percent from the2021 edition.[101] The match was also the second-most-watched club soccer broadcast of 2022 in the United States behind theUEFA Champions League final.[101] The MLS Cup final's penalty shootout was watched by approximately 26 percent of all households in thePhiladelphia market; the market was also the largest for the Fox broadcast with a rating that averaged 4.78 (347,000 viewers) and peaked at 7.6 (552,000 viewers).[99] The second-highest rating in theHouston market was one-third of Philadelphia's and is thought to have been affected by theWorld Series, which Fox broadcast immediately after the match.[99] The largest market for the Univision broadcast was Los Angeles with a 1.06 rating, which made it the second-most-watched LAFC match in their home market after the2019 Conference Semifinal against the LA Galaxy.[102]
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The MLS Cup final kicked off at 1:05 p.m. under clear skies and in front of 22,384 spectators, including 500 fans from Philadelphia in the southeast corner.[84][87] The teams fielded most of their normal starting lineups with the exception of the Union's midfielder and captainAlejandro Bedoya, who was recovering from a hip injury but remained available as a substitute.[103] Cherundolo used a 4–3–3formation and declined to start Chiellini and Bale, while Curtin kept his standard 4–3–1–2 withJack McGlynn replacing Bedoya in midfield.[104][105] LAFC wore their home black kit while the Union chose their blue-and-yellow secondary jersey.[106] Two-timeMLS Referee of the YearIsmail Elfath was selected to officiate the MLS Cup; it was his first time for the tournament.[107] Prior to kickoff, the LAFC supporters group 3252 unveiled atifo depictingDragon Ball manga characterGogeta, who shares the club's black-and-gold color scheme, and set off smoke flares.[108]
The Union had the majority of possession and chances to start the first half but were unable to convert them into shots on goal.[109] LAFC won a free kick near the penalty area that was awarded for a foul byJosé Andrés Martínez on Cristian Arango and used it to take the lead in the 28th minute;Jack McGlynn, who had jumped as part of the wall, deflectedKellyn Acosta's shot into the goal.[110] LAFC won a free kick from a similar spot in the 39th minute which they almost scored from, but Andre Blake savedDiego Palacios's shot from close range.[106][111] The Union responded with their own chance in the 43rd minute as Carranza started a counter-attack and fed the ball to Mikael Uhre, who dribbled it into the penalty area but lost it to Crépeau's block.[110] The teams entered half-time with eight shots but LAFC held a 1–0 lead and the Union had the majority of possession.[104][112]
The Union had their next chance to score early in the second half but several LAFC defenders stopped Uhre's run into the penalty area. The match was stopped twice within two minutes to check LAFC's Arango and the Union'sOlivier Mbaizo for concussion symptoms after separate head collisions.[104] After a corner kick for the Union was cleared out, Martínez took a shot from outside the penalty area that hit Dániel Gazdag, who collected the ball and scored in the 59th minute to tie the match at 1–1. Despite protests from LAFC's defenders, the goal was given because Gazdag was determined to be onside.[113] Five minutes later, LAFC midfielderJosé Cifuentes was shown ayellow card for a collision with Blake during a corner kick, for which the goalkeeper had jumped to save.[104] In the 83rd minute, centerbackJesús David Murillo headed in a Carlos Vela corner kick to give LAFC a 2–1 lead. The Union equalized two minutes later with a header from centerbackJack Elliott off a Kai Wagner free kick that was sent into the penalty area.[110][111] During the celebrations, cups of beer thrown from the stands struck several Union players.[112] LAFC attempted to retake the lead in stoppage time with a set piece but Blake saved a header by defenderSebastien Ibeagha shortly before the end of the period.[114][104]
The match enteredextra time, and LAFC had a chance to score after a loose ball was misplayed by Blake, but it was out of range for Dénis Bouanga. Julián Carranza had a chance to score for the Union shortly before extra time's half-time, but he was unable to head the cross from Kai Wagner into the goal.[114][109] In the 110th minute, a long overhead ball from Mbaizo was misplayed by Murillo, whosebackpass to his own goal was collected by Union substituteCory Burke, who collided with Crépeau as he ran from the penalty area. Crépeau broke his right leg during the challenge and left the stadium in an ambulance,[115] and Burke was substituted a few minutes later.[110][116] Elfath initially showed Crépeau a yellow card, but after consulting with the video assistant referee, he sent him off in the 116th minute while leaving the pitch for his injury.[110][117] LAFC played the rest of the match with 10 players and substitutedKwadwo Opoku for back-up goalkeeperJohn McCarthy, a former Union player and Philadelphia-area native who had only played once in the 2022 regular season.[111][116]
Elfath awarded nine minutes of stoppage time due to the pauses in play to evaluate and treat Crépeau and Burke, as well as other interruptions.[109] The Union pressed for a third goal and scored in the 124th minute through a corner kick by Wagner that was cleared and returned to the penalty area several times. The cross was directed by Carranza towards the goal and saved from close range by McCarthy, but Elliot tapped in the rebound from 3 yards (2.7 m) to score his second goal of the final.[87][109] Elliott and several celebrating players were again showered with beer cans and cups thrown by the stands.[118] In the 128th minute, LAFC equalized when Gareth Bale headed in a Diego Palacios cross; Bale had entered as a substitute during extra time and out-jumped Elliott for the ball.[113] It was the latest goal scored inMLS Cup Playoffs history, replacing Elliott's goal scored four minutes earlier, and tied the match at 3–3 through the end of extra time.[119]
The 2022 final was the sixth MLS Cup to be decided by apenalty shootout, which had also been used theprevious year.[111]Cristian Tello took LAFC's first kick, which Blake saved, but Gazdag slipped while running to take the Union's first, resulting in a miss that kept the shootout scoreless.[109] Bouanga scored his second-round penalty while McCarthy saved Martínez's attempt after reading his stutter step.[110] A successful conversion byRyan Hollingshead, who sent Blake the wrong way, was followed by a McCarthy save on Kai Wagner to set up a decider in the fourth round.Ilie Sánchez's shot toward the bottom-right corner went under Blake during his attempt at a diving save, ending the shootout at 3–0 for LAFC.[109]
          Los Angeles FC |    Philadelphia Union |
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MLS Cup MVP:John McCarthy (Los Angeles FC)[120] | |
Assistant referees:[121] | Match rules[5]
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LAFC became the fifteenth team to win the MLS Cup and the ninth new champion since 2013;[122] they were also the seventh host to win the MLS Cup in the decade since the neutral-site format was abolished.[8] The club was the eighth to win a domesticdouble—composed of the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup—and the first sinceToronto FC in 2017.[119][120] Several of the club's celebrity owners, includingMagic Johnson,Mia Hamm, andWill Ferrell, as well as other entertainment industry figures, attended the match.[123] LAFC celebrated their MLS Cup title with 5,000 fans at Banc of California Stadium's Christmas Tree Lane the following day in lieu of a traditional parade.[124][125]
Steve Cherundolo became the second head coach to win the MLS Cup in his first year in the league, followingPiotr Nowak withD.C. United in2004.[122] McCarthy, the first substitute goalkeeper to win the league championship, was named the MLS Cupmost valuable player for his penalty saves and maintaining the first shutout in a MLS Cup shootout.[120][126] He said he was "absolutely devastated" for Crépeau and called the tackle on Burke the "play of the game";[116] Crépeau celebrated in the ambulance and later at the hospital throughvideo calls to his teammates on the field and coach during the post-match press conference.[87][124] The following day, LAFC announced Crépeau would be unable to join theCanadian national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to his injury.[116] Gareth Bale became the first player to score in the finals of the MLS Cup andUEFA Champions League, stating after the match he "seem[ed] to have a knack of doing that".[127] Bale retired from professional soccer in January 2023.[128]
The match was hailed as an "instant classic" and "the most thrilling" in the history of the MLS Cup;[109] other commentators also ranked it as among the best in the league's history.[129][130] The 2022 final equaled the highest-scoring MLS Cup final alongside the2003 final, which was also the last time two top-seeded teams (theChicago Fire andSan Jose Earthquakes) were finalists; it was also the first time both finalists had scored three goals, as the scoreline in 2003 was 4–2.[122][131] CommissionerDon Garber said it "was Major League Soccer at its very best",[132] while Carlos Vela labeled the finish "a Hollywood movie".[133] Union coach Jim Curtin described the match as "chaotic" and "what a final should be", but also as "a heartbreaking loss, no question". He also stated he "lived through the 130 minutes and aged probably five, six years", and complimented his players on their accomplishment in getting to the final.[134][135] ThePhiladelphia Phillies ofMajor League Baseball lost theWorld Series later in the day, making Philadelphia the first U.S. city to lose twomajor league sports championships on the same day.[136]
Both finalists had already qualified for the2023 CONCACAF Champions League with their regular season performances.[137] The leftover slot was awarded to Austin FC, the next-best eligible team from the United States in the 2022 regular season standings.[138] The MLS Cup finalists faced each other again in the Champions League semifinals, which LAFC won 4–1 onaggregate to advance to theirsecond continental final, which they lost.[139][140] As MLS Cup champions, LAFC also directly qualified for the knockout stage of the2023 Leagues Cup and hosted the2023 Campeones Cup againstTigres UANL of Mexico, losing in a penalty shootout.[141][142]
