CARSON, Calif. -- Omar Gonzalez wasn't going to miss another game in Seattle, and so he took a rather conservative approach in the LA Galaxy's 1-0 triumph Sunday in the home leg of the Western Conference Championship with the Sounders.
He was solid throughout as LA's defense limited Seattle to just three shots on target, all pushed aside by goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, while limiting Clint Dempsey's and Obafemi Martins' effectiveness as the Galaxy posted their third shutout in as many playoff games to move with 90 minutes of their fourth MLS Cup title-game appearance in six seasons.
Gonzalez, a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year, sat out LA's season finale in Seattle a month ago after controversially picking up two yellow cards in the first of back-to-back showdowns with the Sounders to end the season.
The Galaxy lost, 2-0, at CenturyLink, conceding the Supporters' Shield to their rivals from the north, and Gonzalez was adamant he would play a role in the decisive faceoff this time.
“Tonight, I kept quiet, I did my my job, I didn't get in any confrontations, I kept my distance, I made clean tackles, and if someone got in my face, I backed away,” said Gonzalez, who would have been suspended had referee Kevin Stott issued him a yellow card. “I knew how important it was to not get a yellow card and play in next week's game.
“Not still upset about me missing the last game of the season, but it just makes it that much more important that I don't miss this next game.”
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The 6-foot-5 Gonzalez picked up a yellow card in the 53rd minute of LA's scoreless draw at Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference semifinal first leg three weeks earlier, and another playoff booking would have meant a one-game suspension.
Because yellow-card suspensions won't carry over to the Dec. 7 MLS Cup final -- although players picking up red cards would be suspended -- Gonzalez can play more forcefully next weekend in Seattle.
“Next week, second yellow cards don't matter,” he said. “So I'm able to be more aggressive, able to get up on guys a lot tighter, and it's going to be a lot of fun.”
