Nov 9, 2014; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan (10) reacts after scoring his third goal for a hat trick against the Real Salt Lake during the second half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Watch out Seattle, New England, Dallas and New York: Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy are not done yet. At StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. before a sellout crowd of 27,000, the Galaxy destroyed Jeff Cassar’s Real Salt Lake 5-0 in the second leg of the 2014 MLS Western Conference Semifinals. The result means the Galaxy win the series by the same score.
The result also means that LA’s season will extend all the way to the end of November, as they await either FC Dallas or the Seattle Sounders for a spot in the 2014 MLS Cup Final. The second leg of that series is scheduled for tonight at 7:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. CT/10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Hear from Bruce Arena following one of the biggest victories of the year for Los Angeles.
Let’s take a look at six things we learned, followed by player ratings, for Sunday’s tilt between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake.
1. Landon Donovan delivers with a hattie
So why, for the love of all things MLS, is Landon Donovan retiring? He sure didn’t play like he was ready to retire, as seen in this hat trick of goals. The only reason why Robbie Keane will get the 10 rating here and not Donovan…the yellow card issued by Jair Marrufo.
Oh Jair.
2. Robbie Keane: the captain, the provider, the cool, calm Irishman
Meanwhile, as for Keane, he had three assists and a goal. Take a look at his goal in the 20th minute and his finish and see for yourself. Keane is expected to be available for the Republic of Ireland as they face the USA in a friendly this week. The MLS Multiplex will be in to give you all the info, as well as some predictions from yours truly.
3. Marcelo Sarvas also joins in on the party
When tiki-taco is making it great, it’s making it great. A beneficiary of the one and two touch passing, midfielder Marcelo Sarvas had a solid game, scoring in the 63rd minute of play. Sarvas also had an assist in Donovan’s first goal in the 10th minute.
4. Real Salt Lake were simply left out of their league
Make no mistake about it, Real Salt Lake did well to hold the Galaxy scoreless in the first leg, but in the second leg, everything went pear-shaped. Their second-leg victory last year was going to come around for them at some point, and this result was justice served.
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“We got stretched out and ran across a team that was fantastic,” Cassar told MLSSoccer.com’s Blair Angulo. “We could never regain control of the ball.
“There was just too much time and space for LA, and our possession just wasn’t there. We were giving the ball away too often and too early, and it was just setting them off. Against LA, if you’re not good with the ball, they’re going to make you pay. We paid a lot.”
“This year I’ve seen the Galaxy do that numerous times, not against our team but to a lot of the teams in this league,” RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. “You have those three guys up front and, with the way they pressure the ball and the way they play at home, they’re a good group. It’s going to take a special team to beat them.”
“In this league when you give up two goals, it’s going to be difficult to get back,” defender Nat Borchers added. “It was kind of the worst of both worlds for us — we weren’t sharp with the ball, and they were very sharp and active. Landon, Robbie and Zardes were very good with their movement, and they occupied us in the back with their spacing.
“We weren’t very good. In a playoff game of this magnitude, you can’t play like that and expect to get a result.”
5. The stats don’t lie: this was one-sided
If you look at the match statistics, this was all LA from the start. Five chances created for Donovan and Keane, and Stefan Ishizaki took over for Baggio Husidic in the midfield to help Juninho out. That put Real Salt Lake defender Chris Wingert in a pinch, and both he and Tony Beltran were hung out to dry on Sunday night.
Team Statistics
Los Angeles Galaxy on left, Real Salt Lake on right
| 19 | Shots | 4 |
| 8 | Shots on Target | 1 |
| 9 | Shots off Target | 2 |
| 2 | Blocked Shots | 1 |
| 4 | Corners | 4 |
| 15 | Crosses | 18 |
| 4 | Offsides | 0 |
| 8 | Fouls | 10 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 483 | Total Passes | 446 |
| 82 % | Passing Accuracy | 76 % |
| 51.8 % | Possession | 48.2 % |
| 48 | Duels Won | 45 |
| 18 | Tackles Won | 12 |
| 1 | Saves | 3 |
| 23 | Clearances | 22 |
Keane also got involved in the midfield, allowing LA to try out a improvised 4-5-1. And fullback Robbie Rogers was one of two guys on the left alongside either Keane or Donovan, as well as two others stacked at the top of the box. Combine all of this this with the fluid one-and-two-touch passing, and you have to wonder if Seattle can match up with this flexible formation should they prevail over Dallas tonight.
6. LA remain the only team not a bridesmaid in the playoffs
The most important thing to take from this is that Los Angeles are now the team with a big X on their back. The other teams that are remaining in the playoffs—the New York Red Bulls, the New England Revolution, and either the Seattle Sounders or FC Dallas—have not lifted the MLS Cup. With D.C. United’s loss, Los Angeles are the only side that have a shot to win an unprecendented fifth league championship.
Of course, the Galaxy are used to having the X on their back and relish the pressure and the expectations. But one would imagine that they would prefer to face FC Dallas, a team that they have won the regular season series against. But convention wisdom suggests that it will be Seattle vs. the Galaxy. Whatever the case may be, this result is proof that the Los Angeles Galaxy are determined to see Landon Donovan off to at least the final match in December.
Los Angeles Galaxy Player Ratings
Jaime Penedo 6, A.J. DeLaGarza 7, Leonardo 4, Omar Gonzalez 7, Robbie Rogers 7, Juninho 7, Landon Donovan 9.5, Marcelo Sarvas 8, Stefan Ishizaki 7, Gyasi Zardes 5, Robbie Keane 10, Tommy Meyer 6, Dan Gargan 4, Alan Gordon NR
Real Salt Lake Player Ratings
Nick Rimando 5, Chris Schuler 3, Chris Wingert 3, Tony Beltran 0.5, Nat Borchers 3, Javier Morales 4, Kyle Beckerman 4, Luke Mulholland 2, Ned Grabavoy 3, Joao Plata 3, Alvaro Saborio 2.5, Luis Gil 3, Robbie Findley 3, Sebastian Jaime 2