LA Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake (2nd Round) and NY Red Bulls (1st Round) to reach MLS Championship Game (October/November 2011)
Real Salt Lake came to the Home Depot Center for a spot to reach the MLS Cup game vs The LA Galaxy in a rematch of the 2009 MLS Final. Robbie Russell nearly gave the visitors an early lead off of a corner kick but his shot went right into the chest of LA goalie Josh Saunders at point break range. Andy Williams shoved MLS Defender of the year Omar Gonzalez in the box to force a penalty shot. Landon Donovan scored on the penalty shot to give LA the lead before Alvaro Saborio beat defenseman Todd Dunivant and headed the ball in to make it 1-1.
The game was pretty wide open with great chances by both teams missing some excellent opportunities. Both teams hit a couple posts and barely missed other shots until early in the second half when scoring sensation of late Mike Magee headed in a beautiful goal past Nick Rimando off a David Beckham cross to put the team up for good. Fabian Espindola had some nice moves and almost scored a few times but came up empty.
Robbie Keane showed his skills on an incredible goal in the 68th minute faking left and cutting back right kicking a screaming shot into the corner. Keane could have had a hat trick as he had some other fantastic chances but didn’t get the back of the net. Final score was 3-1 so the Galaxy will now face Houston for the championship on November 20th back at the Home Depot Center.
In the first round:
The NY Red Bulls came to the Home Depot Center needing to win by at least 2 goals or by one goal and then win in penalty kicks since they lost 1-0 in the first leg to the LA Galaxy in New York last weekend. The home and home format is not a huge home field advantage as it is in other sports as the team with the most aggregate goals after the 2 games advances.
Luke Rodgers gave New York a 1-0 lead on a great pass by Thierry Henry who beat goalie Josh Saunders just racing past Omar Gonzalez. That was the last sniff they would get as Gonzalez was dominating on defense and the team came together to win 2-1.
Mike Magee headed in a David Beckham corner kick to tie the score late in the first half just after Beckham looked like he may have to come out of the game. He had been suffering from back spasms and as he went up for a header, he came down wobbly and had to be checked out my the medical staff. After coming out of the game and taking some smelling salts, he asked to be put back in. He played a fantastic game and was subbed out late in the game by Michael Stephens. Captain Landon Donovan looked energized in the second half making some good runs and finally delivering a great pass to Beckham on the right wing who got his shot blocked but then got taken down on a poor play by Roy Miller. Donovan ensured the win when he scored on the penalty kick past goalie Frank Rost. Magee has been solid and playing great soccer while the team is full of confidence leading up to the conference finals.
The Galaxy controlled the ball and the game and advanced to play Real Salt Lake on Sunday night Nov. 6th at 6pm back at the Home Depot Center. Tickets are available and there will be more room for this game. The game vs. NY could only hold 20,000 due to some rules of weekday games in the neighborhood so get your tickets now to fill up the Stadium in this rematch of the 2009 MLS Cup Final in which LA lost in a penalty shootout. Juninho will be back after his red card from the first game while Real Salt Lake has some injury concerns with their team but you never know in a one game playoff. Look for Robbie Keane to have an effect on the game as well. More info and tickets at www.lagalaxy.com
LA GALAXY TO HOST REAL SALT LAKE
IN WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Game to kick off at 6 p.m. (PT) Sunday at The Home Depot Center
CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, November 3, 2011) –Following their 3-1 aggregate goal win over the New York Red Bulls in their Western Conference Semifinal Series, the LA Galaxy will now face Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Championship. That game, which will be played at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, November 6, is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes as well as online at ESPN3.com.
After winning the first leg of the series against New York 1-0 on Sunday at Red Bull Arena, the Galaxy claimed a 2-1 win on Thursday night in front of a capacity crowd at The Home Depot Center to knock off the Red Bulls and move one step closer to MLS Cup.
This will be the third consecutive season in which the Galaxy will have hosted the Western Conference Championship at The Home Depot Center. In 2009, the Galaxy beat Houston 2-0 in extra time to reach their record sixth MLS Cup while they lost 3-0 to FC Dallas in last year’s Western Conference Championship. This is the 11th time in club history that the Galaxy have reached this stage of the playoffs. They have advanced to MLS Cup a league-record six times while they have lost at this stage of the playoffs four times.
Tickets for Sunday’s game are on sale now starting at just $30. Fans can also purchase tickets for MLS Cup 2011, which will be played on Sunday, November 20 at The Home Depot Center, by calling 1-877-3GALAXY (342-5299) or by visiting www.lagalaxy.com.
LA GALAXY POSTSEASON SCHEDULE SET
Galaxy to open their playoff schedule on Sunday, October 30; home leg of their Western Conference Semifinal Series to be played at The Home Depot Center on Thursday, November 3
CARSON, Calif. (Monday, October 24, 2011) – Following the final game of the 2011 Major League Soccer regular season on Sunday, the complete schedule for the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs has been set. The LA Galaxy, who won the Supporters’ Shield by way of their 19-5-10 record for a league-best 67 points, will play the NY Red Bulls.
The Galaxy will open their Western Conference Semifinal Series on Sunday, October 30 on the road against New York in a game that will be shown live on ESPN or ESPN2, as well as ESPN Deportes. They will then return home for the second and final leg of that series on Thursday, November 3 at The Home Depot Center. That game will kick off at 8 p.m. (PT) and be shown live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. If the Galaxy are able to advance to the Western Conference Championship, they will host that on Sunday, November 6.
Capacity at The Home Depot Center will be limited to 15,000 for the Galaxy’s first home playoff game because of a long standing, mutual agreement with The Home Depot Center and California State University, Dominguez Hills regarding reduced stadium capacity for midweek games during the school year. If the Galaxy are to advance to the Western Conference Championship, which would be held at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, November 6, the stadium capacity would return to the full 27,000.
MLS Cup 2011 will also be hosted by the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center for a record fourth time on Sunday, November 20. The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. (PT) and will be shown live on ESPN and Galavision.
Tickets start at just $30 for all postseason games at The Home Depot Center. To purchase tickets for any of these games, please visit www.lagalaxy.com or call 1-877-3GALAXY (342-5299).