Editorial: Looking Back On MLS Cup 2011 (VIDEO)

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Your MLS Multiplex, part of the FanSided Network, continues its ongoing series of reflections of the past 19 MLS Cup finals as we countdown towards the 20th season of Major League Soccer in 2015. Today, we look back at the 2011 MLS Cup final between Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy and Dominic Kinnear’s Houston Dynamo. This was the last season in which teams would play a balanced 34-match regular season schedule. The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps, historical rivals of the Seattle Sounders, began their stay in the competition, cementing Cascadia’s importance to the league in terms of talent, influence and supporters.

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The MLS Cup Playoffs expanded to 10 teams in 2011. The Kansas City Wizards were now Sporting Kansas City. The Houston Dynamo would move to the MLS Eastern Conference, and they would stay there until 2015, when both the Dynamo and Sporting moved to the Western Conference due to Orlando City and New York City FC joining the league and the East.

This would be a year in which the Galaxy won the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup double. Los Angeles finished with a record of 19-5-10 (67 points), good for first in the West and the league, and four better than Seattle, who would nick the Galaxy in return three seasons later for the Shield and further the rivalry between both those clubs. The Galaxy had Designated Players David Beckham and Landon Donovan leading the charge but they had other key players.

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  • Notable supporting cast members on the 2011 Galaxy first team include goalkeepers Donovan Ricketts (now with the Portland Timbers) and Josh Saunders; defenders Todd Dunivant, Gregg Berhalter (now the Columbus Crew’s manager), Sean Franklin (now with D.C.), Frankie Hejduk (now the Crew’s main hype man), Leonardo, A.J. DeLaGarza and current Designated Player Omar Gonzalez; midfielders Hector Jimenez (also with the Crew), Jovan Kirovski (the Galaxy’s current Technical Director) and Juninho (who was later transferred from Sao Paulo and would form a potent combo with Marcelo Sarvas in the midfield), and forwards Chad Barrett (now with Seattle), Jack McBean and Mike Magee (now with the Chicago Fire).

    But no incoming player would make as much a long-term impact on the 2011 Galaxy team as the face of Irish soccer, Robbie Keane. With Keane brought on as a Designated Player, his leadership and acumen would be the missing link to the Galaxy string of success. It would culminate with Keane winning the personal double of league MVP and MLS Cup MVP honors in 2014.

    In the Western Conference semifinals, the Galaxy defeated the New York Red Bulls on aggregate, 3-1. Magee, who was phenomenal as an emergency goalkeeper in a match against the San Jose Earthquakes in the regular season, was dominant in this series, scoring in the 15th minute of the first leg at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, N.J. (a 1-0 LA victory), and the 42nd minute of the second leg at StubHub Center (then the Home Depot Center), which the Galaxy won, 2-1. Donovan also scored in the 75th minute. In the Western Conference Championship at StubHub, goals from Donovan (23′), Magee (58′) and Keane (68′) gave the Galaxy a 3-1 rout of Real Salt Lake.

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    The Houston Dynamo finished the regular season with a record of 12-9-13 (49 points), good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference. Aside from captain Brian Ching, there were other notable players for Houston, including goalkeeper Tally Hall; defenders Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor and Bobby Boswell (now with D.C. United); midfielders Brad Davis, Corey Ashe, Adam Moffat (now with FC Dallas) and current Stoke City bookend Geoff Cameron; and forwards Will Bruin, Carlo Costly, Cam Weaver and Calen Carr.

    Houston opened up the postseason with a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference semifinals. In the first leg at the newly-constructed PPL Park in Chester, Pa., goals from Andre Hainault (6′) and Carr (30′) powered the Dynamo to a 2-1 win. In the second leg at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Tex., Ching was the hero in the third minute of first half injury time in Houston’s 1-0 win. The Dynamo then defeated Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference Championship, 2-0, at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. Hainault (53′) and Costly (87′) were in on goal for the visitors.

    MLS Cup 2011 took place at StubHub Center on Nov. 20, 2011, and it would be the last time MLS Cup was held in a predetermined location. Afterwards, the highest remaining seed would host the final. Landon Donovan was the hero, scoring in the 72nd minute with a worm-burner that eluded Cameron. The goal gave Los Angeles its third MLS Cup, its first in six seasons, and Beckham would finally earn his first MLS Cup. He would earn one more, in 2012, before leaving Major League Soccer for a guest stint at Paris St. Germain followed by retirement from the game.