subject: La Galaxy Playoff Tickets - Los Angeles 2, San Jose 0 [print this page] The Los Angeles Galaxy are focused on bringing home a third championship. They clinched their first division title in seven years with a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. The win gave Los Angeles (12-6-12) home field advantage in the playoffs. The Galaxy are returning to the postseason for the first time since 2006.
Los Angeles forward Landon Donovan, who led the Galaxy to the 2005 MLS championship after winning two titles with San Jose, told the press the victory was "a huge reward." The forward continued to say that his club worked really hard and did not want the game to slip away against the Earthquakes. The confident soccer player also mentioned that he can't imagine that anybody would want to play Los Angeles in the playoffs.
The Galaxy won it all in 2002, but has stumbled in the three years since, failing to make the postseason under coach Ruud Gullit. The rebuilding process started when former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena was brought in during August of 2008 and has had tremendous success with the Galaxy. The coach said, "(A regular-season title) certainly wasn't something we were thinking about as we started to rebuild the team in the offseason." Arena acknowledged that the process in Los Angeles has been gratifying, stating it's been a fabulous accomplishment. He added, "Hopefully, this is the start of things, being better and having a team that's consistently good, and only time will tell for that."
Franchise icon David Beckham, who endured some criticism with the Galaxy over the past two seasons, stated that his effort needs to continue. The midfielder said he was proud of what Los Angeles has accomplished so far, but did not want his club "to get off the pace." Becks proclaimed Los Angeles wants more trophies. Donovan was responsible for the first goal of the game after he received a pass from Mike Magee in the Earthquakes' box. He then fired a shot that ricocheted off defender Bobby Burling, which went past goalkeeper Joe Cannon. Donovan got the second goal of the game after he drilled a shot between cannon's legs at the top of the San Jose box.
The play started when goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts threw the ball to Becks. The Englishman then passed the ball to Donovan in midfield, who knocked it to Chris Klien on the right wing. Donovan then raced forward and met Klien's pass just inside the box, shooting the ball under the onrushing Cannon and off the left post into the net. Get LA Galaxy playoff tickets and see Donavan score.
Donavan leads Los Angeles with 12 goals. The Galaxy picked up their third-straight shutout with stellar performances by Ricketts and MLS Rookie of the Year favorite Omar Gonzalez. Los Angeles recorded seven shutouts in nine games and a team-record 12th of the season. Meanwhile, the Earthquakes (7-14-9) finished at the bottom of the West. San Jose coach Frank Yallop said it was a tough way to end the season, but believes "this is something we can build off of into next season and I'm excited about that."
