The LegenD lives to fight another day. The humanitarian gets one more game alongside the pioneer. They will be led into battle one more time by the Dubliner and be masterminded yet again by the old hat. The Los Angeles Galaxy will host the New England Revolution in the 2014 MLS Cup Final on Sunday, December 7th.
Landon Donovan's illustrious career was given one more game after a 54th minute strike from Juninho cancelled out earlier goals from Brad Evans and Clint Dempsey to allow LA to advance over the Seattle Sounders on the away goals rule in what was a fitting climax to the rivalry that dominated the MLS season. After the classic fixture between these two to decide the fate of the Supporter's Shield on the final day of the season, it seemed written in the stars that they would do battle again for the right to host the New England Revolution in MLS Cup Final.
This game for the ages will be remembered for the fight of Clint Dempsey, the industry of Brad Evans, the tragic heroics of Stefan Frei, and the brilliance of Landon Donovan. However, it will go down in history as the night that Juninho the conqueror vanquished Seattle yet again.
There will undoubtedly be Seattle fans who grumble about this being the first time the away goals rule is instituted, but they cannot complain about the result. LA were worthy 1-0 winners in the first leg and while Seattle dominated large swathes of the first half LA were arguably the more dangerous team in the second half. Every time Seattle were caught with numbers forward, it seemed the Galaxy were destined to score. And were it not for the brilliance of Frei, it probably would have finished 3-2 in favor of the Galaxy on the night.
The game started in an unsurprising patter; both teams looked to attack when they could with Seattle playing the aggressor, fully aware that unless the game went to penalties they would need at least two goals to advance. They passed and they passed, all the while probing the LA defense for any signs of weakness. They ultimately found that weakness on the left-hand side, where the Galaxy have struggled a bit defensively all season.
Neither team was able to carve out a truly clear-cut chance until the first goal, and it came after Donovan was caught slightly out of position and then converted winger Robbie Rogers was caught out at left back. After LA had given away possession, Seattle streamed forward. Lamar Neagle fizzed a pass in to the feet of Obafemi Martins who had found a pocket of space between the defensive midfielders and the center backs.
Martins in turn laid the ball back to Dempsey, and they worked their patented 1-2. Dempsey slid the ball back to Martins just inside the box, and he went down under a heavy challenge from Leonardo. All eyes turned to referee Jair Marrufo but he was unmoved. However, just as those gathered in rave green began to rant at the injustice of the no-call, Dempsey scooped up the loose ball.
Leonardo's tackle forced the ball away from the feet of Martins, but Rogers was woefully out of position and as such the ball was loose in the box. Dempsey scooped it up and scampered past a diving Jaime Penedo. He attempted to force the ball over the line from a tight angle only to see his certain goal blocked off the line by Dan Gargan. However, even Gargan was powerless to prevent Brad Evans from slamming the rebound into an empty net.
Cue bedlam at CenturyLink Field. The assembled masses in the rave green exalted their heroes, and if it was possible the decibels grew ever louder. As the songs rained down on their team much like the rain does on a typical Seattle night, they came closer to grabbing a second. From the 25th to the 35th minutes, it seemed Seattle was in some other gear that the Galaxy could never hope of reaching.
They came desperately close to going ahead on aggregate just two minutes after the goal. This time it was Osvaldo Alonso attempting to be the architect of LA's demise. He carried the ball forward for a good thirty yards before finding Dempsey in a pocket of space.
The USMNT captain picked up his head, and in the same motion as receiving the pass he slid Martins in. We can only guess as to what would have happened tonight had Martins finished what was the best chance of the night. However, he didn't. The MLS MVP candidate sliced his strike from 15 yards out so badly that it is an instant contender for SportsCenter's Not Top Ten.
However, Seattle were undeterred. They continued to ride the green wave of enthusiasm their supporters were creating. And those clad in green appeared to suck the ball into the net just two minutes later. A flowing passing move from the Sounders ended with Deandre Yedlin fizzing a dangerous ball into the box that was only half-cleared by Omar Gonzalez. His miss-clear fell right to the one person the Galaxy didn't want it to. Clint Dempsey.
He teed himself up from 20 yards out, but it seemed LA would survive the threat. Dempsey got very little purchase on the strike, but it took a miniscule deflection off Leonardo. A deflection so small it was almost invisible on the replays. However, the deflection was just enough to cause Penedo to fumble the ball into his own net. At that moment, it felt as if Seattle could go on and do whatever they wanted, almost the way it felt during the second leg of LA's matchup last round with Real Salt Lake.
But the Galaxy fought back. They managed to stem the tide from Seattle, and nearly pulled a goal back in the 37th minute. On one of their first dangerous forays forward, Robbie Keane cut inside from the left flank onto his right foot and hit a dangerous, curling strike that Frei kept out very well. The strike looked as if it was destined for the side netting, but the Swede kept it out well. LA kept Seattle out for the rest of the half, and headed into the locker room content in the knowledge that they needed just one goal to advance under the away goals rule.
That one came just nine minutes into the second half on the aftermath of a corner kick. Donovan took the corner and it was a poor delivery. His outswinger missed everyone and bounced twice on its way through the box before finding the feet of Juninho on the edge of the box. He took the strike first time and on the half volley, hitting a venomous volley that caromed in off the post to save the Galaxy.
Now set to be eliminated, Seattle were forced into action. They looked to launch attacks at every opportunity, but began to commit too many numbers forward. And Donovan nearly made them pay for it just moments later.
A lackadaisical cross field pass from Alonso intended for Yedlin found Donovan instead, and he had a clear run at goal after intercepting the pass. Donovan went solo for 50 yards before getting in on Frei and looking to slide the ball back across the keeper's body. However, he kept his trailing leg on the ground and stopped the shot while also saving Seattle.
In the 65th minute, Donovan played creator as the Galaxy nearly put the game out of reach again. Zardes intercepted a loose pass and found Keane. He led a 3-on-2 break, and played Donovan in down the left wing. He shimmied past Zach Scott and scooped a wonderful cross to the back post which found the head of Stefan Ishizaki. Ishizaki headed the ball back across goal and it was only the fingertips of Frei that kept the game level on aggregate.
As the game wound towards its inevitable conclusion, Seattle began to throw more numbers forward. At some points it appeared they were only playing two at the back and five up front. Yet even for all of their efforts they were not able to create another chance worthy of note. Dempsey and substitute Marco Pappa both blasted half-chances into the stands in the last couple of moments, and that was all she wrote for the Seattle Sounders.
Nothing should be taken away from Seattle; they had a superb season and won a double. Some argue that the Supporter's Shield is more important than MLS Cup, but they have still yet to win MLS Cup. It was a valiant effort from the home side, but on the basis of tonight's match LA were worthy victors. They will host New England Revolution on Sunday, December 7th at 3 PM ET in the 2014 MLS Cup Final.