The two strongest teams in MLS over the past three seasons square off tonight for a chance to play in the 2011 MLS Cup Final as the Los Angeles Galaxy take on Real Salt Lake at Home Depot Center (9pm, ESPN).
The Galaxy come in as Supporters Shields winners and the favorites against an RSL side that struggled late in the regular season, but showed against Seattle in the playoffs that they were back to the form that helped them reach the CONCACAF Champions League Final last spring.
If Real Salt Lake are going to beat the Galaxy, they will need to do so without starting centerback Nat Borchers, who will miss his second straight match with a leg injury. The good news for RSL is Jamison Olave has recovered from his own injury to return to the starting lineup and start alongside Chris Schuler in central defense.
SBI will be providing commentary on tonight's match so please feel free to follow along with the action tonight. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):
Come on Salt Lake!
Go RLS!!!!!!
If RSL get some momentum going, watch out for unexplained power outages. Hoping for a Galaxy loss
I predict 5-0 Galaxy.
Someone please punch Alexi Lalas in the throat, please. Thank you.
does any one have a link?
Saunders with a very lucky save — right at him
crispy, espn3.com
LOL
i would love to have that haha, but internet service provider doesn’t let me have that
ok try this crispy…
link to justin.tv
Smooth and sweet.
pretty soft penalty, imho
Incredibly soft penalty
Wow. Somebody check Cohiba Don’s phone records, he just made a call to the ref for that one. Still on plan for Becks to win the cup and ride off into the sunset.
Harkes madfe a good point. when I saw it live (as the ref saw it of course) it looked for sure like a penalty. replays show otherwise of course…
and justice is done. very nice RSL goal off a corner. Morales to Olave to Saborio
and theres the equalizer 1-1
And RSL takes one right out of Il Bruce’s playbook, they score on a set piece.
2 games, 2 terrible penalty calls against salt lake. someone doesn’t want them to win in these playoffs…
Omar Gonzalez so dangerous in the air
Robbie Keane is so skillful, always loved hi as a player.
Outrageous penalty. Glad RSL got an equalizer.
More entertaining soccer and creativity already here than in the entirety of the H-KC match.
Happy for Houston, but that was a rough match to watch – expected more from KC than what they showed.
No doubt that Dynamo games aren’t pretty to watch, but they’re good at frustrating the smooth passing and grinding out some physical goals.
Wtf
How in the hell did that not earn a yellow or even a red?
Im so sick of LA being handed everything.
I look forward to the day when a good game is not spoiled by John Harkes and his continued assault on the English language
ESPN needs to sign Glenn Davis
Ian Darke: “Will Johnson takes it in the face.”
(pause)
Fantastic cross
Magee again. Just a great soccer player
So you think they were handed the Supporters Shield?
Wow!
Wow. Keane was staring at Olave the entire time and just smoked him. Amazing goal.
Beckerman is a very good soccer player. I know some hate on him as not having the speed for the international game, which may be true, but dude is very smart and technical and with vision. If only he had greater athletic gifts.
Olave is a very good defender, but he got properly schooled by Keane
Well, with MLS Cup 2011 at Home Depot Center, it looks like LAG has got it locked up already. Nice job MLS!!! /end snark
If there’s any defender who can shut down Keane, it’s Geoff Cameron. That will be a great matchup.
To be fair, Olave’s fitness may have let him down in the end….
But I thought we all _liked_ the idea of the best team in the league being in the final… And a number of people even recommend that the final be played at the home of that team…
Keep in mind Magee and Johnson played for the same club team in Chicago and train together in the offseason. they are very familiar with one another.
That was a very entertaining MLS Cup
The appeal of the MLS Cup final=exponentially higher if Brad Davis plays, irregardless of the result today without him. There’s just a buzz every time Houston has a free kick, a feeling of dread if you are rooting against them.
No, but it’s no accident that the HDC got handed the MLS Cup this year over say… the nice new world class stadium built by SKC that would be a great showcase of the league, or PPL Park, or even Red Bull Arena. The HDC has been used for multiple MLS Cups and while it will certainly be warmer than BMO Field, I do not see many other good arguments for it over the aforementioned stadiums.
will johnson?
i hope LA wins so Donovan can go to Everton and Beckham where ever he wants and LA can finally build some young depth
Well Houston scored the winning goal today off a free kick after Davis was already injured. Davis is amazing, but the store that’s missing is how many great headers of the ball Houston has. Dread should still remain!
Meh, I prefer a neutral site primarily because if the best team in the league makes it to the final, then they shouldn’t need additional help. If Keane, Beckham, Donovan, etc can’t get the job done outside of the HDC, then they don’t deserve the trophy, and the same is true of any other team.
OK but even so, that would not quite be “everything”, nor would it have anything to do with a yellow or red card…
Haha…
If Real Salt Lake are going to beat the Galaxy, they will need to do so without starting centerback Nat Borchers, who will miss his second straight match with a leg injury. The good news for RSL is Jamison Olave has recovered from his own injury to return to the starting lineup and start alongside Chris Schuler in central defense.
SBI will be providing commentary on tonight’s match so please feel free to follow along with the action tonight. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.