their experience led to the victory at the end. The guys played with a lot more concentration and a lot more wisdom than we have at previous matches."
Here's Sampson's team: Kevin Hartman, Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu, Tyrone Marshall, Todd Dunivant, Cobi Jones, Marcelo Saragosa, Peter Vagenas, Landon Donovan, Joseph Ngwenya, Herculez Gomez (Michael Umana 91+).
"Can't complain about anybody," Clarke said. "You get to the final and you're narrowly beaten. A lot of credit goes to my boys for getting here. This was a one-off, playoff style game and we had a lot of 20-year-olds out there. The main goal is the MLS Cup."
Here's Clarke's team: Scott Garlick, Bobby Rhine (Steve Jolley 86), Clarence Goodson, Greg Vanney, David Wagenfuhr, Arturo Alvarez (Abe Thompson 69), Ronnie O'Brien (Oscar Pareja 53), Carey Talley (Aaron Pitchkolan 54), Mark Wilson, Ramon Nunez, Roberto MinaHISTORY
A year ago, the Galaxy won three of the four matches between the teams, winning both of the matches at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy won 3-1 at home on May 8 (Kirovski 57, 65; Ruiz 90 - Nhleko 6), then three weeks later on national TV grabbed a 4-1 victory at the Cotton Bowl (O'Brien 71 - Victorine 9, og 65, Kirovski 72, 90)
Dallas then won for the only time in the series last year, a 2-0 victory on Sept. 18 at home (Johnson 10, 44), before the Galaxy returned the favor with a 2-0 victory on Oct. 9 in Carson (Kirovski 68, 85).
The Galaxy have won six of the last nine league meetings between the teams, after a stretch where six of the eight encounters ended in draws (each team winning one in that span, Dallas in extra time).
The losing team hasn't scored more than a goal since the 2000 season, when the Burn posted a 4-2 home victory on July 1.
Coaches record: Colin Clarke v LA: P7 W3 L4 D0 ... Steve Sampson vs. DAL: P5 W2 L3 D0LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy tightened things up in the heart of the Western Conference, winning for the first time in three league matches with a 2-1 victory against the Kansas City Wizards on Sunday evening at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy now have 42 points from 30 matches, a point behind FC Dallas (who still have two matches in hand) and still five points ahead of the fourth-place Colorado Rapids (who also have two matches in hand).
Herculez Gomez put the home side after 33 minutes with an excellent finish from a real quick strike, latching onto a ball played over the Wizards defense and blistering a first-time shot past the diving Bo Oshoniyi inside his right-hand post.
The Wizards pulled level in the 72nd minute. Jimmy Conrad collected a loose ball and skipped forward before splitting the Galaxy defense with a perfectly-weighted through ball that Josh Wolff drove home from the heart of the area.
But the Galaxy nosed back in front just two minutes later, Landon Donovan serving a free kick from the right and Marcelo Saragosa celebrating his return to the Galaxy by rising up to head home just inside the left-hand post.
Galaxy boss Steve Sampson made two changes to the team that lost 4-1 to FC Dallas the previous Wednesday at Pizza Hut Park. Cobi Jones and Joseph Ngwenya came in to the team with Ned Grabavoy and Troy Roberts returning to the substitutes' bench, as Chris Albright moved back to right back and Landon Donovan occupied a wide role.
Here's Sampson's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chris Albright, Ugo Ihemelu, Tyrone Marshall, Todd Dunivant - Cobi Jones (Troy Roberts 89), Paulo Nagamura (Marcelo Saragosa 42), Peter Vagenas, Landon Donovan -Herculez Gomez, Joseph Ngwenya (Mubarike Chisoni 67)
"It was a very difficult game. I think you could see that the two teams were very tired," said Galaxy coach Steve Sampson. "You can see that the season is starting to take its toll. But it was important for us to get the three points and this is why you saw the players that we put on the field for the most part that will be the same look on Wednesday."
Wednesday's victory brought a measure of achievement for the Galaxy - and in some quarters, of vindication.
"We've only had one of these (Open Cup titles) at this club in its entire existence. We've been taking a lot of [abuse] from everybody about our inconsistency, but you can't measure the heart of a champion," said Galaxy captain Pete Vagenas. "We showed in big games, when everything is on the line, that this team has got something left. So, that being said, we are going to enjoy this thoroughly tonight and tomorrow before we put it behind us and move on."
The Galaxy also pointed to the win as something to build on for an even bigger prize - a second MLS Cup title.
"You look at our record, obviously it doesn't tell the tale of the Galaxy. We're at .500 right now, but we're better than [a] .500 [team]," Tyrone Marshall said. "A lot of guys have been with national teams [throughout the summer]. When we have our full compliment of players we're a good team. When guys are not in [the lineup], it shows. Now it's getting down where everyone is healthy and we're back in the mix. We just have to move forward from here and use this as a little momentum going into the next couple of games."
For Gomez, the cup winner was his 15th goal in all competitions this season - he has nine in league play and ended the U.S. Open Cup as the leading scorer overall in the competition with six goals.FC DALLAS
FC Dallas extended their unbeaten run to three games after ending a 10-match winless run, beginning a week-long tour of California with a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at Spartan Stadium. FC Dallas now have 43 points from 28 matches, now just a point ahead of the Galaxy though they still have two games in hand, and are six points ahead of fourth-place Colorado Rapids, both teams with four matches left to play.
The Earthquakes were able to secure home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs while still equaling the league record home unbeaten streak and staying on course for an unbeaten season at home.
FC Dallas took a deserved lead on 58 minutes, Abe Thompson tripped up by Pat Onstad as the rookie striker rounded the Earthquakes 'keeper, and Ramon Nunez drilled home the resulting spot kick.
But after a fracas that saw a player from both sides sent off - San Jose's Eddie Robinson and Carey Talley of FC Dallas - the home side showed new life and pulled level in the 68th minute.
Brian Mullan ran onto a deflected ball in the right corner and whipped in a cross that fell into the mixer until Brian Ching was able to poke it out of the crowd and into the net for his second goal in as many matches after returning from hamstring surgery.
The result kept the Earthquakes unbeaten at Spartan Stadium on the season, and if they win or tie against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 8 at home, they will become the first team in MLS history to go through the entire season unbeaten at home. In addition, the Quakes extended their home unbeaten streak to 17 league games overall, dating back to last season, equaling the MLS record set by the Los Angeles Galaxy from July 4, 2004 to July 16, 2005.
FC Dallas boss Colin Clarke ran out a number of usual reserves to face the Earthquakes in advance of the U.S. Open Cup Final at midweek. In all, there were seven new faces from the team that defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 4-1 the previous Wednesday at home, including an all-change back four, with Alex Yi in the center of defense making his MLS debut. The only starters to remain the same were Scott Garlick in goal, Simo Valakari in the holding midfield role and Arturo Alvarez and Ramon Nuñez in the wide attacking roles.
Here's Clarke's team (4-1-4-1): Scott Garlick - Drew Moor, Steve Jolley, Alex Yi (Clarence Goodson 66), Chris Gbandi - Simo Valakari - Arturo Alvarez (David Wagenfuhr 83), Aaron Pitchkolan, Carey Talley, Ramon Nuñez (Bobby Rhine 70) - Abe Thompson
"I'm pleased with the performance," said Clarke. "We were unlucky not to get a [win]. We could have been one or two up early on. But I'm very pleased for the boys, and at the same time a little disappointed."TEAM NEWS
A healthy portion of that fun was enjoyed by players who aren't normally in the starting lineup. And when the subject of resting some of his best players was brought up, Clarke indicated that he was fully confident that Saturday's starting 11 would get a result.
"What best players?" Clarke asked with a completely straight face. "Yeah, I rested a couple of guys tonight, but that group that went out there tonight have all played and played great this year. I'm not taking anything away from that group that played tonight. They were magnificent."
The San Jose game could also be a playoff preview at some point along the way. "We haven't been beaten [at Spartan] in two games this year," said Clarke. "The playoffs are going to be fun. I think the crowd got an early taste of what playoff soccer is all about. Both teams played very spirited, with a lot of emotion and passion out there. It was a fun game."
The only player in the FC Dallas lineup on Saturday who hadn't started a game during the season was center back Alex Yi, who had yet to make his MLS debut. He left the match in the 66th minute with an apparent knee injury, but Clarke indicated afterward that Yi had carried an injury on the knee into the match, and that it didn't appear to be serious.
More injury woes hurt the FC Dallas chances in the Open Cup Final on Wednesday. Carlos Ruiz failed a pre-match fitness test on his injured hamstring, and said he won't be available for the league match against the Galaxy either.
"It's the other Cup -- Lamar Hunt -- so it's not a big deal," said Ruiz. "My hamstring, it's killing me. I tried to make moves before the game, I shot the ball. When I tried to make sprints, I really felt it. It's hard to start on the bench but these things happen. But the MLS season continues. I really want to play every game, not just against the Galaxy."
Early in the match, Ronnie O'Brien was limping noticeably following a hard challenge from Galaxy midfielder Marcelo Saragosa, and was forced to come off after 54 minutes.
"My final ended right away," said O'Brien. "I tried to go as long as I could. After halftime, it just stiffened up and that was it. It's all swollen up and there's a big lump in my back." Added Clarke: "We missed his energy and his life through the middle of the park."
FC Dallas, whose lone honor in club history was earned after capturing the 1997 U.S. Open Cup title, demonstrated their desire to win a second Dewar Trophy by including only three players in its first 11 that started in Saturday's 1-1 draw at San Jose -- midfielders Arturo Alvarez, Carey Talley and Ramon Nuñez. Clarke's plan was to save the legs of his first-choice group for the final, though he opted for a cautious 4-5-1 formation against the Galaxy. The alignment made sense considering most of the Hoops' scoring talent was confined to the bench.
"You hate to make excuses ... so we're just not going to make any excuses," said Hoops 'keeper Scott Garlick. "We defended well for about 88 minutes. We defended well as a group. That takes a lot of work. All the credit to the boys."
