Pec scores in fourth straight game, Galaxy close in on West's top seed with win over Austin

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Dejan Joveljić scored the go-ahead goal in the 76th minute, Gabriel Pec became the second Los Angeles player to score in four straight matches this season and the Galaxy moved closer to wrapping up the top seed in the Western Conference with a 2-1 victory over Austin FC on Saturday night.

Sebastián Driussi evened it in the 55th minute for Austin (10-14-9), but it wasn't enough as it was eliminated from MLS postseason contention.

Joveljić and Pec both have 15 goals this season for the Galaxy (19-7-7), who are six points ahead of Los Angeles FC and on the verge of finishing first in the Western Conference for the first time since 2011.

LAFC has one game in hand due to advancing to the Leagues Cup final earlier this season. It will have its rescheduled match at Vancouver on Oct. 13.

The MLS regular season concludes on Oct. 19 with the Galaxy at Houston and LAFC hosting San Jose.

Riqui Puig assisted on both of the Galaxy's goals. John McCarthy made four saves in goal.

Austin's Brad Stuver saved two shots. Possession was nearly even while Austin had an 18-15 edge in shots.

Joveljić got a pass from Puig in the center of the box and eluded a pair of Austin defenders before lofting a shot into the left side of the net to put the Galaxy back on top.

Driussi made it 1-all early in the second half when he got the pass from Osman Bukari nine yards out and scored for the first time in nearly five months.

Pec opened the scoring in the 31st minute. He eluded Austin defender Guilherme Biro twice and brought the ball up near the end line before putting booting it into the far side of the net with his left foot.

Pec, who is in his first season in MLS, has four goals and three assists in his last four games.

Joveljić has the longest goal streak in Galaxy history as he scored in five straight games at the beginning of the season.

The match had a chippy ending when Biro got a red card after making a studs up tackle on Puig near the Galaxy bench in the 103rd minute.

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AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer