LAFC clinch playoff spot after Diomande double at Rapids

Bob Bradley's bid to lift a second MLS Cup with an expansion franchise is gathering momentum after Los Angeles FC booked a place in the postseason.

The veteran head coach steered the Chicago Fire to that feat in 1998, and can now plan for a playoff mission with league newcomers LAFC. Walker Zimmerman's header and a brace from Adama Diomande completed Saturday's 3-0 win and condemned the Colorado Rapids to a seventh straight defeat.

Zimmerman's opener in the 15th minute somehow slipped through goalkeeper Tim Howard and set the tone for another miserable night for the hosts.

Diomande has been a sensation since joining in May following three years with Hull City, and put LAFC out of sight with finishes either side of the break. His first was particularly emphatic as he peeled away from defender Tommy Smith to receive Lee Nguyen's pass before callously lashing the ball past Howard.

LAFC are currently placed third in the Western Conference, and will seek nine points in their remaining tussles with the Houston Dynamo, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Sporting Kansas City to boost their postseason ranking.