who not only scored the first goal but assisted on Donovan's strike as well -- was a pleasant surprise. The two-time MLS champions also have a couple of competitive games under their belts, helping them move towards top form prior to their April 1 season opener against the New England Revolution.
"The good thing is it's over and it's not like that's going to have ramifications on our season," Donovan said. "If anything it will help us. You don't play in games of that intensity and atmosphere but a couple of times a year."
"Playing matches like this is great preparation for us," added Sampson. "We know very quickly the things we need to work on. We're much further ahead this year at this time than we were last year, but we had to be, given the early competition. I like most of what I see with my team and I think we're going to be very difficult to beat in league play."
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
