The release you saw on Landon Donovan's face on Sunday after he scored record-setting goals Nos. 135 and 136 in a 4-1 winn over the Philadelphia Union was genuine.
And the fact that the goals -- his first tallies of the season -- came just days after he was unexpectedly cut from US national team World Cup camp only heightened the drama.
"It's been an emotional three days. A lot of down and a lot of up honestly," Donovan told Time Warner Cable Sportsnet's Kelli Tennant immediately after the game. "The love I've received from everybody here, including when I walked out for warm-ups with signs and people staying stuff, has been amazing. And I'm really happy it ended this way for this week."
His first strike came four minutes after the break, an easy finish off a give-and-go with Galaxy captain Robbie Keane.
"Well, it's been a while so there are a lot of emotions," Donovan admitted about his feelings after breaking the record. "Just getting on the scoreboard again was nice. Hitting the net was nice. Getting the 135 on the back of what happened this week. It was a good feeling."
But he wasn't done. With nine minutes remaining in the match he took another feed from Keane and expertly rounded a defender before lashing the ball into the back of the net.
"It's usually how it goes. Once you get the first one the other ones are a little easier," Donovan continued. "But like I said yesterday I felt like this form has been coming.
"I've been playing really well. I felt good in camp about how things were going. And I thought there was a goal coming soon. I wasn't expecting it to be this soon in this game. But I was still happy I could score."
Two minutes after that second strike, Galaxy manager Bruce Arena made sure Donovan received the adulation from the hometown StubHub Center fans, who serenaded their hero with chants of "USA, USA" as he was substituted for Samuel.
"For a long part of my childhood, there was no MLS, and when I started watching, it was a dream just to be a professional," he told TWC Sportsnet. "So having the opportunity to play this many years and play with some wonderful teammates. Robbie [Keane] made a real concerted effort to get me a goal tonight and I'm forever indebted. And my teammates response to all of it meant a lot to me, too.
"These are my family members, my brothers. And I could see in their eyes yesterday how hurt they were. And I'm just glad I could come back and contribute and help out."
