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The Associated Press
Carson, Calif.

Minnesota United closes regular season with 2-1 loss against L.A. Galaxy

Two Minnesota United players lunge for an flying ball during a soccer game.
Nicolás Romero #5 of Minnesota United tries a bicycle kick in the dying seconds of the match during the second half of the match against Los Angeles Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles Galaxy won the match 2-1.
Shaun Clark | Getty Images

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Matheus Nascimento and Joseph Paintsil each scored a goal on Saturday night to help the LA Galaxy beat Minnesota United 2-1 in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Minnesota (16-8-10) is fourth in the Western Conference and will play fifth-seeded Seattle in the best-of-three first round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Nascimento gave LA (7-18-9) the lead for good when he scored on first-touch shot from the center of the area in the 12th minute.

Paintsil, on the counter-attack, outraced the defense down the left sideline and then bounced a low shot off the far post and then slammed home his own rebound to make it 2-0 in the 52nd.

Joaquín Pereyra scored in the fifth minute stoppage time for Minnesota.

A couple minutes later, the Galaxy's Edwin Cerrillo was shown a yellow card in the 67th and another, resulting in a red, in the seventh minute of stoppage time.