LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Football Club had already clinched the top seed for the Major League Soccer postseason before playing host to the Colorado Rapids in Sunday afternoon’s regular-season finale. Now, the team is in the MLS record books as well.

LAFC completed its regular-season campaign with a 3-1 victory over the Rapids (12-16-6), officially eliminating the visitors from playoff contention in goalkeeper Tim Howard’s final professional match.

With the win, LAFC (21-9-4) set the league’s regular-season points record with 72, breaking the New York Red Bulls’ 2018 mark by one point. The team tied the L.A. Galaxy’s 1998 MLS record for the most team goals in a single season with 85 and broke that team’s mark for goal differential (41) with a plus-48.

“The most points in (league) history is really important because we showed how good we are. It shows how good our chemistry is, but we want more,” LAFC forward Carlos Vela said after the match. “If we don’t win the MLS cup then the record is nothing, so we have to keep working. Maybe tonight we will celebrate a little bit but starting tomorrow we have to think about the playoff (games) and be ready.”

The regular-season finale was a historic moment for LAFC as a team, but the day belonged to Vela. The forward, who entered the match with 31 goals, had a hat trick to tie the MLS single-season record (34) that Atlanta’s Josef Martinez set last season.

“At the end of this incredible season which we’re all proud of, to see Carlos (Vela) finish off that way is special for everyone. I said to everyone inside that everybody in the club – all the players, staff – everybody is so happy for him because as a guy, he’s so positive,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “He’s a great teammate, he’s good to the people around him every day and he’s had just a special, special year. That is first. We’re all incredibly proud of what he’s accomplished.”

Vela, who also had 15 assists this season, opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a strike 25 yards away from the goal, executed a spectacular bicycle kick for his second goal in three minutes and completed the historic hat trick six minutes into the second half.

“It’s hard for us to put it into words because we’ve never seen something like that, especially in the MLS, where a guy can come in and he cuts in with his left foot and curls to the back post every time and it manages to go in,” Miller said of Vela’s record-setting season. “For me, it’s great to watch from my perspective because I see his move. He sets the defender up and cuts in, and then as soon as he cuts in I’m like, ‘this could be interesting.’ So, to be able to witness that this entire season has been something that’s amazing.”

LAFC remained dangerous for the rest of the match, generating chances against Howard until the final whistle. LAFC goalkeeper Tyler Miller made a couple of good saves in a solid performance that should give him confidence going into the postseason.

The only blemish on the day for LAFC was a head injury to center back Walker Zimmerman in the 70th minute. He walked off of the field under his own power, but his official status was unknown after the match. The injury could put Zimmerman’s availability for the postseason in question.

“Every moment I spend on this club with my teammates is special.” @11carlosV after a record-breaking day at the Banc. #LAFC pic.twitter.com/fhDVnR3dLW — LAFC (@LAFC) October 7, 2019

“At the end of this incredible season, to see Carlos finish that way was special for everyone.” Bob Bradley after our 3-1 win at the Banc. #LAFC pic.twitter.com/Q2wPvedoD0 — LAFC (@LAFC) October 7, 2019