The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo are set to face off for a place in the 2009 MLS Cup Final and it is anybody's guess which of these Western Conference powers will pull off the victory tonight at the Home Depot Center (11:25pm, ESPN2).
The Galaxy will be the host tonight and is a slight favorite, but the Dynamo has a strong enough defense and quality attacking weapons to score the upset.
I will be providing live commentary on the match so feel fee to follow along here while you watch the match (or in case you can't watch). As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):
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FINAL- That's all for me tonight. Feel free to share your post-match thoughts on tonight's Galaxy victory in the comments section below (or you can go to sleep like me, and share your comments tomorrow). Good night.
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FINAL- Funny to see that the Western Conference championship trophy is about 25 times bigger than it was last season when the New York Red Bulls won it.
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FINAL- Wondering what Beckham got mixed up in after the match? He will often shake hands with the opposing team after the match and it looks like Dom Oduro snubbed his handshake, which led to Beckham telling him off. Odd scene after such a big win.
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FINAL- Galaxy 2, Dynamo 0. The Galaxy are heading to the MLS Cup Final.
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121st minute- One minute of stoppage time left.
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120th minute- With the Galaxy heading to the MLS Cup Final, you can expect the Final to add some more seats at Qwest Field. If Chicago beats Real Salt Lake, MLS officials would suddenly have a dream final from a PR standpoint.
DYNAMO HIT THE CROSSBAR!!! Too little, too late.
-------------------------119th minute- Landin with a stupid foul on Donovan. He was looking to hit somebody.
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116th minute- Four minutes left. Who else needs a wake-up call for the USA-Slovakia match?
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113th minute- You have to wonder whether Holden, Clark or Ching would have anything left in the tank for a national team call-up for Wednesday's Denmark match. You hope Holden does because he looked very good tonight.
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112th minute- Beckham barely misses the top corner on a long free kick.
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11th minute- Galaxy will run the clock out on this one. There are still nine minutes to go, but Houston isn't scoring two in nine minutes. Not with Landin up top.
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110th minute- GOAL GALAXY!!!!! Donovan converts the PK and it's Galaxy 2, Dynamo 0. The Los Angeles Galaxy are ten minutes away from going to MLS Cup.
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109th minute- PENALTY!! Clark fouls Gordon and gives up the PK.
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108th minute- It needs to be said. Landin has been an absolute bomb. He's provided nothing since coming in.
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107th minute- Beckham has a free kick deflected out for an LA corner.
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106th minute- Galaxy have been disciplined defensively all game. Now they'll tighten things up even more.
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OVERTIME HALFTIME- Houston will have a 15-minute period to try and equalize.
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105th minute- Beckham's long free kick is headed by Gonzalez and the loose ball falls to the feet of Berhalter, who finishes it from close range.
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104th minute- GOAL GALAXY!!!!!! Gregg Berhalter finishes off a loose ball in the area. Galaxy 1, Dynamo 0.
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102nd minute- Anyone else enjoying watching Donovan and Holden battling?
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100th minute- Kovalenko fouls Cameron at midfield.
Eddie Lewis comes in for Mike Magee. That's the Galaxy's final sub.
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99th minute- The game has slowed down considerably. Teams hitting the wall perhaps?
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96th minute- Alan Gordon comes on for Buddle. Eddie Robinson comes in for Brad Davis. Look for Cameron to get forward.
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93rd minute- Nice run forward by Berhalter, who delivered a great cross in but nobody from LA was in the area.
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92nd minute- Holden sends a long shot wide, Good build-up play from Houston.
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END OF REGULATION- Who has more left in the tank after 90 minutes of regulation, and more than 30 minutes of blackout stoppages. Holden has looked very dangerous at times and looks like the player most likely to find a game-winner. Can Beckham or Donovan summon some magic in overtime? They didn't do much in regulation.
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END OF REGULATION- Galaxy 0, Dynamo 0. A good back-and-forth battle, but neither team could put home a good chance. Well, Hainault did, but it was waved off.
Who has the edge going into the 30-minute overtime? Houston looked like the better team in the final 20 minutes and might be feeling some momentum.
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90th minute- Two minutes of stoppage time.
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90th minute- Donovan gets a yellow card for what looked like a fair challenge. He was a bit late, but not sure it's a yellow.
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88th minute- Beckham springs Franklin down the right but Franklin sends the cross right at Onstad.
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86th minute- Holden's corner is too long and Ching can't do anything with it.
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85th minute- Five minutes left in regulation. Will we see a late goal?
Houston corner kick.
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82nd minute- Corey Ashe is in for Mullan. That's a good sub. Ashe brings some speed and good service.
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82nd minute- Houston starting to take control late.
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80th minute- Houston has a Hainault goal waved off for some sort of foul before the corner kick. WOW.
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79th minute- SAVE RICKETTS!!!!! WOW. He stones a great Ching header with a one-handed stop to get it onto the crossbar.
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78th minute- Holden sent a very good ball in, but Kirovski heads it away.
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77th minute- Kovalenko fouls Holden again and gets a yellow for it. Nice move by Holden. Good free kick spot for Davis, about 26 yards out on the left flank.
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76th minute- Donovan called for a foul on Clark. Houston keeps attacking. They've controlled the past 10-15 minutes.
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74th minute- Landin tries to take on Omar Gonzalez but looks extremely slow in doing so. Gonzalez handles it easily.
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72nd minute- Luis Angel Landin is in for Oduro.
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71st minute- Buddle beats Cameron, but then goes down way too easily in the area, doesn't get the call. Gonzalez then takes out Ching, but gets no card.
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70th minute- Twenty minutes left in regulation. The match has settled into a pretty even encounter. Nobody's in dominant position right now.
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68th minute- Houston's defense has been very solid all night, very organized.
Holden is fouled by Kirovski. LA fans didn't like that call.
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65th minute- Donovan has been pretty quiet for some time now.
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64th minute- Some great end-to-end stuff. It's scoreless, but hardly boring.
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64th minute- Ching's header off a Holden corner is saved easily by Ricketts, LA counters quickly.
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62nd minute- SAVE RICKETTS! Davis with a shot from a sharp angle, Houston corner.
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61st minute- Jovan Kirovski looks likely to come in, he's in for Klein.
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59th minute- Beckham shows some life with a nice defensive play and then a good cross. He's got some gas left in the tank.
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56th minute- Sean Franklin with a nice run forward to help earn a corner kick.
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55th minute- Cameron is having a very good game tonight. He needs a national team call-up in his future.
Beckham looks off now, might be too long for him to play.
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54th minute- Corner is cleared away.
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52nd minute- Houston corner.
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51st minute- And we're back in action.
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51st minute- The lights are back (for now). The game is about to start up again.
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- Alexi Lalas talking up the Chicago Fire. Somewhere Jon Busch is laughing (okay, somewhere Jon Busch is probably sleeping, but still).
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- Who else needs a nap?
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- If the lights go out a third time, the Galaxy should lose by forfeit. Okay, not really, but this is crazy. Who saw two blackouts coming?
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- These stoppages can't be good for Brian Ching, who may not be long for this match. He's pretty beat up and may not be able to go much longer after these two breaks.
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- Don Garber just decreed that all future Galaxy home games will be played during the day to avoid disasters like tonight. Okay, not really, but I'm sure Garber can't be happy with this mess.
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- You think the Dynamo fans at Home Depot Center are having fun with this stuff?
"At LEAST WE PAID OUR LIGHT BILL!" (To the tune of "The referee's a wanker")
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- For those of you who plan to be up for the USA-Slovakia match, I will be doing a match commentary on the game so be sure to stay tuned for that.
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LIGHTS OUT (AGAIN)- Ricketts is being treated, looks like he'll keep playing.
It's even darker this time around. Not sure if they could play in this darkness.
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51st Minute- The LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN. This is just absurd.
Now Beckham is going nuts. Ricketts took a hit to the head on a challenge from Ching just before the lights went out.
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50th Minute- How confident does Holden look tonight? His form bodes well for a potential start for the USA vs. Denmark if the Dynamo lose tonight.
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48th Minute- SAVE RICKETTS, stops a hard shot from distance by Hainault.
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47th Minute- Beckham's corner is good, but ching clears it, another LA corner coming. It's cleared away.
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46th Minute- SAVE ONSTAD. He stops a Donovan shot, but spills it for an LA corner.
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46th minute- And we're back. No subs.
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HALFTIME- Here's my possible soccer-viewing plan: Watch this match, then watch New Zealand-Bahrain, go to bed at 4am and wake up at 9am ahead of USA-Slovakia. Five hours is plenty of sleep, but I'm usually playing poker when I sleep that little.
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HALFTIME- Here are some questions I have at halftime:
Can the LA back-line avoid letting Oduro shake loose for a breakaway?
And if not, is there any way Oduro gets a shot on frame?
Is Bruce Arena the only man in the LA area wearing a turtleneck?
Can Stuart Holden maintain his EPL-level pace of play for another 45 minutes?
Is Dema Kovalenko destined to get a red card in this match?
Will the game-winner be scored by a surprising player (like Franklin)?
Did one of David Beckham's 44 handlers tell him during the blackout that he should re-do his hair because he was looking like an extra from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome?
Who will take the penalty kicks if this one goes to a shootout?
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HALFTIME- What changes might we see at halftime? Not sure we need to see any really. At some point LA will bring in Eddie Lewis, especially if it struggles to find a goal. Houston could bring in Luis Angel Landin, but I'm not sure how much he'll help.
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HALFTIME- So it's 12:30am on the East Coast and we're at HALFTIME. Who else is going to stay up to watch New Zealand-Bahrain? With this one ending at 1:30am at the earliest, it may be tough to pass on watching the Kiwis try and reach the World Cup.
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HALFTIME- Galaxy 0, Dynamo 0. A very hard-fought and quality first half of play. The Galaxy forced the issue, but Houston's defense has held up.
Stuart Holden was the best player on the field in the first half (though Onstad gets MVP honors for two clutch saves), but the Galaxy looked a bit better as a team. Houston looked better in the later 25 minutes of the half, and will have to feel good about going in scoreless.
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45th Minute- A great long pass by Beckham to Donovan, but Cameron steps up with his own great play to strip Donovan.
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43rd Minute- Magee with a good defensive play. He's spent a lot of time tonight tracking back to provide an extra man defensively.
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41st Minute- Good ball movement from LA. Some sharp passing all over the field, except for the final third.
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39th Minute- Houston is doing a good job of dealing with Beckham's passes into the area.
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36th Minute- Beckham just took a Berhalter knee to the ribs.
Houston starting to get more of the ball, they've withstood LA's early onslaught.
Yes, Harkes just did a Beckham impression that actually sounded Scottish.
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35th Minute- Davis dribbles in and finds room for a shot, but his right-footed effort is wide.
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34th Minute- SAVE RICKETTS. Davis tries one from distance and the dipping shot forces a diving stretch save from Ricketts.
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33rd Minute- Boswell and Buddle are having a nice battle.
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32nd Minute- Holden is moving very well tonight. Sad to think that this could be his final MLS match.
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31st Minute- Houston corner after Ricketts tips away a Davis chip attempt.
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31st Minute- Holden looks like a man possessed, but his Dynamo teammates aren't matching his effort. LA is moving the ball better as a team.
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30th Minute- Buddle tries one from distance, and Onstad stops it easily.
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28th Minute- LA is complaining about every call, not sure that's going to help them get more calls.
Davis with a free kick from the right flank that falls easily to Ricketts.
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27th Minute- SAVE ONSTAD!!! Dives to his left to stop a great Beckham free kick.
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26th Minute- Mullan fouls Buddle pretty hard, gets a yellow. Galaxy with a free kick from 25.
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25th Minute- SAVE HOLDEN, heads away a Galaxy shot. LA corner and Holden heads it away. Holden is ALL OVER.
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24th Minute- Nice to see a section of Dynamo fans making the trip.
I won't say anything about the Galaxy drum guy with the tight sleeveless shirt. The less said the better.
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23rd Minute- Galaxy keep on attacking, but Holden and Clark are buzzing around. Clark's moving very well, doesn't look like his knee is an issue tonight.
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22nd Minute- Beckham's free kick is headed clear by Holden for an LA throw-in. Houston clears away.
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21st Minute- Kovalenko with a BAD dive. Terrible.
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20th Minute- Over/under on the number of newspaper articles that lead with "The lights went on the (tonight's loser)'s season after falling in the Western Conference final: 20.
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19th Minute- Holden hits De La Garza. Physical play continues.
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18th Minute- And we're back. Who comes out firing after the blackout?
Is it me or does Beckham's hair look better now than before? Must have gone in for a touch-up.
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LIGHTS BACK- The lights are back on. Don't ask what minute it is.
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LIGHTS OUT- Apparently this blackout hit the entire city of Carson, and not just Home Depot Center. You are free to keep buying electronics at Home Depot. Seriously though, at least this one can't be pinned on MLS (I'm sure it will still be).
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LIGHTS OUT- David Beckham just went into the locker room. This blackout might wind up helping LA because Beckham was losing his mind a bit before the blackout.
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LIGHTS OUT- At what point does the ref bring out the orange ball and let the teams play in the dark? Okay, so that's not happening, but it would be interesting, wouldn't it?
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LIGHTS OUT- Don Garber on the cell phone. Wonder how that conversation is going.
Alexi Lalas is talking now since he's the one analyst who's had the lights turned out on him at Home Depot Center before.
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LIGHTS OUT- Yes, that's right, it IS Friday the 13th. Suppose we shouldn't be that surprised at this power outage.
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LIGHTS OUT- What are the chances that this Home Depot Center blackout makes it into a Lowe's commercial?
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LIGHTS OUT- East Coast soccer fans who wanted to watch this are now torn between staying up to watch, or getting some sleep in order to watch USA-Slovakia at 10am on Saturday morning. I say you can always sleep on Sunday.
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LIGHTS OUT- That sound you hear is MLS detractors having a good laugh at this incident. Unfortunate to say the least.
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LIGHTS OUT- Early word is a 15-minute delay.
Funny how the lights on the field boards and in the restaurants are still on.
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20th Minute- Bruce Arena is sporting the casino pit boss look again.
Still no lights.
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19th Minute- Let's see how long delay goes. You know, with Houston's colors, they could probably play in the dark.
How does this happen? My theory? Preki is somewhere yanking fuses out of a fuse box.
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18th Minute- The lights just went out at the Home Depot Center. Yes, you read that right.
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17th Minute- Dynamo with another good sequence. Holden with a run from midfield and nice pass, but Ching can't hit it well. Holden is doing a good job of shaking free for runs into the area.
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15th Minute- Holden is up and shakes it off.
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14th Minute- Kovalenko went studs up on Holden, and didn't even draw a foul. Holden is down.
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13th Minute- HOLDEN WIDE. Great run into the box, perfect pass springs him, but he can't get a shot on frame.
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11th Minute- Houston corner after a nice build-up from Mullan.
It's in the area and quickly cleared away, leading to an LA counter.
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10th Minute- Oduro with a half-chance he hits wide into the side netting. LA isn't going to be too worried about his finishing.
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9th Minute- Dynamo flick a header wide of goal.
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8th Minute- Houston corner.
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7th Minute- Beckham's moving around, trying to get away from Clark, who looks quicker than he did vs. Seattle.
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6th Minute- Galaxy off to a fast start. Houston withstanding the early pressure.
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4th Minute- SAVE ONSTAD. Magee's shot is blocked after a great pass from Donovan.
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2nd Minute- Beckham with his first long pass attempt. Not too bad, but just a touch off. Donovan looks active early. He is ready to have a game tonight.
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1st Minute- We're underway.
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PRE-GAME- What is up with Beckham's Mohawk? Not his best hairstyle.
A prediction for tonight? I'll say the Galaxy win 1-0.
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PRE-GAME- One thing I'll say about tonight's match is that you couldn't ask for a much better setting for this match, between the packed house and beautiful field. This is how games should be played, not on turf or grass fields battered and butchered by football.
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PRE-GAME- Who will have the bigger impact today, the midfield tandem of Holden and Davis, or the tandem of Beckham and Donovan? You know who's favored, but this is why they play the games.
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PRE-GAME- Who gets the edge in the left back swaps? Well, Wade Barrett is a savvy veteran who isn't exactly a drop-off as a starter. De La Garza has had a good rookie season, but this is a pretty big game for him to be thrown into. Also, Dunivant brought an attacking option from left back that the Galaxy will have to do without today.
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PRE-GAME- Todd Dunivant is out for LA due to illness, meaning rookie A.J. DeLaGarza gets the start.
Houston has a change as well, with Wade Barrett in the lineup at left back for Mike Chabala.
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PRE-GAME- Game time is fast approaching as we get close to kick-off of tonight's Western Conference final. Let's start with the lineups:
LA GALAXY
-------------------Buddle------------Magee-----------------
Donovan-----------------Beckham--------------------Klein
--------------------------Kovalenko--------------------------
DeLaGarza----Berhalter----------Gonzalez-------Franklin
------------------------Ricketts------------------------------
HOUSTON DYNAMO
------------------Ching-----------Oduro----------------------
Davis--------------------Holden----------------------Mullan
---------------------------Clark-------------------------------
Barrett-----------Boswell-------Cameron--------Hainault
---------------------------Onstad----------------------------
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