Landon Donovan Goes Out Like a G, Wins 5th MLS Cup
08 Dec, 2014
Landon Donovan is leaving Major League Soccer on top as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat the New England Revolution 2-1 to claim the team’s fifth MLS Cup trophy in Donovan’s final game as a professional.
Donovan’s teammate and MLS MVP Robbie Keane scored in the 111th minute from a long ball over the top of the New England defense, which the Irishman promptly tucked away in the back of the net after he was played onside by Chris Tierney.
The Galaxy had had numerous chances in the first half, but were slightly out of sync and couldn’t finish several opportunities right in front of goal.
New England had some good runs of possession early on but were unable to break through the Galaxy defense to get any pressure on Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.
After the disjointed first half for both teams, Gyasi Zardes scored for the Galaxy to give the home team a 1-0 lead in front of a sellout crowd of 27,000 at the StubHub Center.
The remainder of the second half was a back-and-forth affair with L.A. getting the better of the chances — the best on a Keane breakaway that the Irishman failed to take or indeed pass to Donovan.
In the 79th minute, the Revs scored on a counter-attack with Chris Tierney — a boyhood fan of the Revs — burying his chance off a pass from the touchline from substitute Patrick Mullins, who had come on for Charlie Davies in the 72nd minute.
Before the two extra periods, New England sent Andy Dorman on for Lee Nguyen, who had been suffering from cramps, but, despite the loss of the MVP nominee, the underdogs had the better of the early part of extra-time.
Tierney’s left-footed chance in the first overtime period was parried away by Penedo and the ball trickled slowly in front of a wide-open goal mouth, but none of his Revolution teammates were there to put the ball in the back of the net.
Keane had been frustrated throughout much of the game, but made amends in the final moments to help L.A. return to the top of MLS for the first time since 2012.
Following Keane’s go-ahead strike, the Revs threw everything at the Galaxy, but couldn’t find the equaliser leaving New England as the losers in the MLS Cup for the fifth time in franchise history.
ESPN
Image @luissinco twitter
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