CARSON, Calif. -- The last time the LA Galaxy faced off against the Seattle Sounders with an MLS Cup appearance in the balance, they streaked to a 3-0 home victory in the first leg, then did what was required up north to reach the promised land.
This time they settled for less, a 1-0 triumph Sunday at StubHub Center, and said almost to a man that they were satisfied, even if they ought to have scored another goal or two, perhaps more.
LA head to Seattle for next week's second leg holding the slimmest of advantages, and they say that's enough to work with as they seek an unprecedented ninth MLS Cup title-game appearance.
“Of all the results, [1-0] was probably third-best,” said Landon Donovan, who was corralled much of the afternoon by the Sounders' defense, leaving space for Stefan Ishizaki to exploit on the other flank. “I guess 2-0 and 3-0 would have been second-best and first-best, but they had a few chances, too, and keeping that team scoreless is not easy.
“The first objective was to not get scored on, even if it ended 0-0. Getting a goal was important, and then [we were] a little unlucky. Not quite sharp enough to get the second, but we're confident. We've been there twice this year, we were thoroughly dominant in [the 3-0 win in late July], and then we were the much better team for 86 minutes [in the regular-season closer, a 2-0 Sounders win]. We're full of confidence going there, we know we're going to get their best shot, and we look forward to it.”
Marcelo Sarvas scored the goal, a 52nd-minute shot that deflected in off the outside of Chad Marshall's left leg, and the Galaxy might have added to it when Donovan sent a ball through the goalmouth ahead of the sliding Sarvas just five minutes later or when Ishizaki hit the underside of the crossbar with a free kick from 22 yards four minutes after that, or when Donovan sent Alan Gordon toward the net in the closing minutes, with Marshall sliding in to send the shot wide.
And Stefan Frei did well to deny Gyasi Zardes, Robbie Keane and Robbie Rogers in the first half.
Ishizaki said he “wasn't very satisfied” with the result, but his was a minority opinion.
“I thought we did what we had to do, win the game,” said Sarvas, who departed in the 69th minute with a hip injury that, he said, shouldn't keep him out for next week's second leg, although he'll undergo tests Monday. “Going there, we know it's going to be tough -- it's the final.”
Said Keane: “I wouldn't say comfortable, but it puts us in good position. I think the most important thing today was not to concede a goal, and we did that. And we managed to get one, so, overall, not a bad day.”
Jaime Penedo made certain that goal stood up, stopping a would-be own goal in the 12th minute, making back-to-back point-blank saves on Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins in the 22nd, and then swatting away a Dempsey chip from a tough angle at the start of the second half.
Seattle found chances hard to come by, but the Galaxy believe that they'll find enough when they get to Seattle.
“I think we go there and play like we always play,” Rogers said. “Not be afraid to attack, but keep the ball at the right times. You can't sit back and try to defend a one-goal lead. I think even a two- or three-goal lead, you still have to go there and attack.”
