Donovan comes through for Galaxy
Los Angeles cashes in on PK opportunity to advance over Chivas
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- Donovan lifts LA to conference final
- Highlights: LA 1, CHV 0
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That was no different in Sunday's second game of the Western Conference Semifinal Series with archrival Chivas USA in front of a sellout crowd of 27,000 at The Home Depot Center. The 27-year-old calmly converted a penalty kick in the 73rd minute to give the Galaxy a hard-fought 1-0 victory and a berth in the conference championship. They will play the Houston Dynamo, who defeated Seattle Sounders FC 1-0 earlier in the day, on Friday night in Los Angeles.
Sunday's win not only denied Chivas their first-ever berth in the conference final but it stretched their winless streak against the Galaxy to eight games (in all competitions) since 2007.
"That certainly was a great win, a real battle," Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. "It was a game like most playoff games ... it's going to come down to one or two plays."
The pivotal play occurred in the 70th minute when David Beckham sent a spectacular long ball crossfield to Donovan on the wing, and Donovan in turn lifted a pass to Mike Magee deep in the penalty area. Magee had trouble gaining possession -- "It was a lousy first touch," he said -- before he was fouled hard by Chivas USA's Yamith Cuesta.
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"Certainly the referee (Richardo Salazar) showed a lot of courage," Arena said. "That clearly was a foul on Magee."
The seven-year veteran definitely paid the price.
"I got kicked where no man wants to get hit," Magee said with a smile.
Then it was up do Donovan to take the penalty kick. Chivas USA goaltender Zach Thornton, just last week named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, dove to his left, in the direction Donovan usually goes, but Donovan crossed him up by going up the middle and scored his 16th career MLS playoff goal. That tied him for the most in league postseason history with Carlos Ruiz.
"There were a lot of facts that went through my head right before," Donovan said. "My thoughts were to get to the ball and keep an eye on him, and if he moved real early I was going to make my decision.
"My thought was actually to go that side, but I saw him step the other way and then start leaning that way. So I closed it and it went in."
Unlike last week's series opener, which was a wide-open but unevenly played affair that featured four goals (two by each team), Sunday's rematch was close and tightly contested and ended with some pushing and shoving after the postgame whistle. Chivas USA coach Preki perhaps was the most animated person on the losing side, and it took none other than Beckham to try and calm him down.
Beckham said he wasn't surprised things got so heated. He also said he wasn't surprised Preki almost let his emotions get the best of him.
"At first I was trying to see what happened," Beckham said. "I saw him react and I tried to pull him away and calm him down. Whatever happened, there's always going to be tempers flaring and confrontation because we're rivals and this is the playoffs.
"He is what he is. He's a winner, and when he's not winning he's not happy."
Preki would not elaborate on what caused the confrontation.
"It doesn't matter. It stays right here," he said in the lockerroom.
The Galaxy, who outshot Chivas 17-9, including 9-3 in the second half, now prepare for the Dynamo. The teams met twice during the regular season, with the Galaxy owning a 1-0-1 advantage.
"I think most people would say Houston is the best team in Major League Soccer," Arena said. "It's going to be equally if not more challenging than tonight."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
