The Los Angeles Galaxy completed their improbable rise from the fourth seed in the Western Conference, reaching MLS Cup for the fifth time in club history thanks to two goals from Landon Donovan, defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on Saturday night in the Western Conference Championship.
Donovan stabbed home a Cobi Jones cross in the 28th minute, then scored a remarkable goal two minutes from the end to seal the victory and become the all-time leading goal-scorer in MLS postseason history.
From the outset, with the MLS Cup Final riding on the outcome, neither team wanted to allow their opponent too much time and space to build an attack and the flow of the game was frequently marred by fouls. Referee Brian Hall whistled for 21 fouls (13 against the Galaxy) in the first half alone.
Donovan forced a save from Rapids 'keeper Joe Cannon on a fierce angled shot in the 17th minute, but neither team was able to create much until the 28th minute, when the Galaxy took the lead, finally breaking through the well-organized Rapids defense.
Jones shook off some physical marking from Dedi Ben-Dayan to streak down the right sideline. He sent a rolling cross across the top of the goal area where it was met by a sliding Donovan, whose poke left Cannon with no chance at the save.
The goal opened up the match a bit, and the Rapids went close twice shortly thereafter. In the 32nd minute, an Eric Denton free kick curled to Jeff Cunningham at the far post. But his volley was slightly off target and rattled off the side netting.
Colorado then thought it had tied the score in the 34th minute when Jean Philippe Peguero headed a Terry Cooke corner into the net. But referee Brian Hall had blown the whistle when the ball was in the air, immediately waving off the goal, ordering the kick to be retaken as he dealt with the pushing and shoving in the goalmouth.
The Rapids came out firing in the beginning of the second half and once again came close to scoring in the 48th minute. On a counterattack, Ben-Dayan played a long cross to Terry Cooke, who beat Ugo Ihemelu with a quick cutback. Cunningham couldn't control Cooke's centering pass, and even though the ball bounced back to Peguero, his shot was easily saved by Hartman.
Holding the lead, the Galaxy were content to defend in depth and soak up the pressure. The Rapids continued to try to break through the Galaxy defense, controlling possession for most of the second half, but their offense seemed out of synch in the final third.
Their best attempts came off of set pieces, such as a Cooke free kick in the 74th minute that fell to substitute Fabrice Noel. But the volley attempt from the Haitian was blocked by the massed Galaxy defense.
The home side came close minutes later when the Galaxy failed to clear a free kick and the ball pinballed around the crowded area. Peguero headed it goalward, but left back Todd Dunivant came running through the goalmouth and timely intervened to head away the attempt.
Donovan then shut the door on the Rapids' season in the 88th minute. Receiving a ball all alone right at the midway stripe, he dribbled and juked his way through three Rapids defenders, twice riding tackles from Pablo Mastroeni, before coming through at the other end inside the Colorado penalty area.
He took a look and curled a right-footed shot past Cannon inside the right-hand post for his second goal of the night, fourth in this year's MLS Cup Playoffs and 14th all-time in the postseason, overtaking Roy Lassiter and Carlos Ruiz for the career lead in MLS playoff goals scored.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
