Scotland duo suffer play-off misery as Celtic transfer target lands knock-out blow

Scotland duo Ryan Gauld and Stuart Armstrong’s dream of winning the MLS Play-Offs are over after Vancouver Whitecaps were eliminated by Los Angeles FC on Saturday morning.

With the best-of-three Western Conference first-round tie level at 1-1 following respective home victories for each team, the deciding match was played at BMO Stadium in LA in front of a packed crowd.

Gauld, who has won four caps for Scotland since September, and 51-times capped Armstrong both started for the Whitecaps in 4-3-2-1 formation, with captain Gauld playing behind central striker Brian White and Armstrong part of the three-man midfield.

However, it was not to be for the Canadian side, who went down 1-0 to LAFC thanks to a 62nd-minute strike from Polish playmaker Mateusz Bogusz, who capitalised on a loose ball and slotted past Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.

Bogusz, a 23-year-old midfielder who has netted 16 times in 35 appearances for LAFC this season, emerged as a transfer target for Celtic last summer. The former Ruch and Leeds United man was deemed a potential replacement for Matt O’Riley, who was sold to Brighton for £25 million, with the Parkhead club eventually adding Arne Engels and Luke McCowan to their ranks.

Vancouver Whitecaps captain Ryan Gauld controls the ball against Ryan Hollingshead of LAFC. | Getty Images

Vancouver pressed for a leveller and later had a goal correctly ruled out for offside when central defender Tristan Blackmon headed in from close range.

LAFC, who have France World Cup winners Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud in their ranks, will now face Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference last four.

Gauld played the full match and was booked in stoppage time for a cynical foul on Denis Bouanga, while Armstrong played 75 minutes before being replaced by Alessandro Schopf.

Gauld will now fly across the Atlantic to team up with the Scotland squad for the Nations League double-header against Croatia on Friday and Poland a week on Monday. Armstrong has once again been omitted from the group by head coach Steve Clarke.

Scottish hopes of victory in the Play-Offs rest with forward Lewis Morgan, whose New York Red Bulls side are into the Eastern Conference semi-finals. They overcame Columbus Crew last weekend and will take on either Cincinnati or rivals New York City, with their tie due to be completed later on Saturday.