CARSON, Calif. – Landon Donovan termed the hoopla surrounding his final regular-season home game “incredible,” but his boss sure is glad to see the LA Galaxy legend's farewell tour coming to an end.
Donovan was serenaded by his favorite pop stars, given the captain's armband for the game, heard his name chanted when the clock hit the 10-minute mark, then was gifted by his club a painting of himself in celebration during an on-field presentation following LA's 2-2 draw Sunday evening with the Seattle Sounders, wrapping an emotional couple of weeks climaxing his final matches in stadiums around the country.
But after the Galaxy (17-6-10) let a lead slip away for the second straight weekend, with the Sounders rallying from a two-goal deficit to retain command of the Supporters' Shield and Western Conference races heading into Saturday's season-ending showdown in Seattle (2:30 pm ET; NBC, live stream at NBCSports.com), head coach Bruce Arena made it clear he wasn't enjoying the festivities all that much.
“I think we need to start focusing on playing,” Arena said during his postgame news conference. “We're all pleased that the process is now complete, and we're entering the last regular-season game and then the playoffs, and hopefully we and Landon can focus on that.”
Donovan acknowledged that he “wore out as the game went on” after “a long two weeks” in which he was honored in his final US national team match and made repeated media appearances while playing twice for LA. He noted that he could “see why this would be frustrating for a coach.”
“From Bruce's standpoint, his job is to win, and that's why he's here,” Donovan said. “… But Bruce also understands the big picture, and he sees how important all of this is for the club and the fans and for me and my family. So it's frustrating in the moment, but I know when he has some time to think about it, he'll understand that it's nice that we could do this.
“It's incumbent on me now to get back to the soccer part, and I've made that clear to everyone that I'm going to appreciate this and enjoy this, but now it's time to get back to soccer.”
It was a stirring evening for Donovan, who was joined by his family on the field for a video-board tribute and a performance by Five for Fighting – singer-songwriter John Ondrasik is described by Donovan as “a really good friend and mentor to me” – and then heard Boyz II Men, his favorite group, perform the national anthem. He knew of neither performance beforehand.
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He received rousing ovations, with fans parading signs professing their love for him, before, during and after the game, then made a postgame speech in which he told his teammates that “we're still going to win the [MLS] Cup, don't worry.”
“The atmosphere was incredible,” Donovan said. “I keep using the word 'overwhelming' – maybe I need to go to college and learn some synonyms – but I can't figure out a better word. It's incredible. It really is, and I'm so appreciative of all of it. I certainly dated myself with some of the artists that came out to perform, but it was enjoyable for me and really a memory that will definitely last a lifetime.”
The Galaxy would have needed just a draw in Seattle to win the Shield had they held onto their lead, but the draw means they must win the regular-season finale to do so. Donovan said the Sounders' comeback did not spoil his celebration.
“I'm able to compartmentalize,” he said. “So I'm frustrated professionally tonight because of the result, but I wouldn't let that take away from all the amazing things that happened tonight.”
