LA clinch 2nd straight Supporters' Shield with Seattle loss

Photo: Robert Mora/LA Galaxy

The LA Galaxy's trophy cabinet got a little bit more crowded on Saturday night.

No, they didn't take the field, but they manged to take home some silverware anyway. It came in the form of their second straight Supporters' Shield, courtesy of the Philadelphia Union's 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders.

With the result, the Galaxy have mathetmatically clinched the Shield, and with it the top seed — and the accompanying home-field advantage — throughout the 2011 MLS Cup playoffs.

LA becomes the third straight team to win consecutive Shields, following D.C. United (2006-07) and Columbus (2008-09). They also tie United with their fourth Shield overall — the first coming in 1998 and the second in 2002, the year in which they did the Shield and MLS Cup double.

That 2002 LA side is one of only five MLS teams to have done the Shield/MLS Cup double, joining the 1997 and 1999 United teams, the 2000 Kansas City Wizards and the 2008 Crew group.

For coach Bruce Arena, it's the third Shield of his storied career, pulling him ahead of Seattle's Sigi Schmid and Vancouver interim head coach Tommy Soehn for the most in league history.

Arena took his first Shield in 1997 with D.C., while Schmid's two titles came with the 2002 Galaxy and 2008 Crew. Soehn, meanwhile, was head man for United in 2006 and 2007.

With the title also comes automatic entry into the group stage of the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League. LA are still alive in the current version of the CCL, and will head to Motagua of Honduras in a must-win game on Oct. 20.

Arena won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (the precursor of the Champions League) back in 1998 with United, while the Galaxy won it in 2000 under Schmid. Those remain the only two MLS sides to have taken continental honors.