The first team to reach MLS Cup six times, the Los Angeles Galaxy will take on a team that didn't exist until the season of their last appearance in Major League Soccer's championship game Real Salt Lake in MLS Cup 2009. The Galaxy lost their first three appearances in the league title game before winning their last two, both coming in extra time by 1-0 scorelines against the New England Revolution.

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The thought of writing this post after the opening day game against DC United never entered my head. That was a slightly improved version of the meltdown season of 2008 defensive breakdowns, not much stability in the middle and an attack that put two in the back of the net, but looked frustrating doing it.

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The DVD is the A&E-produced History of the MLS Cup, which was released just before last year's championship game.

I was sent two review copies (that I haven't looked at) so will give one sealed, never-viewed 91-minute history of the cup (great for re-gifting this holiday season!) to the first person who correctly predicts the score of Sunday's game in the comments section of this blog post.

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There's only one game left in the 2009 MLS Schedule and it's the big one; the MLS Cup Final. This year's final, which will be played at Seattle's Qwest Field, pits Western Conference regular season champs the L.A. Galaxy against the streaking Real Salt Lake.

The matchup offers some good star power with the obvious L.

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Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake
Sunday, November 22nd at 7:30 CT on ESPN

How many high pressure wins does it take to erase the title of underdog? After entering the tournament as the lowest seed, Real Salt Lake might need one more as they try to complete their Cinderella Story toward Sunday's David vs.

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Before the playoffs began, the consensus was that the teams in the Western Conference were more prepared to the lift the MLS Cup in Seattle on November 22nd. Little did we know then how prophetic that sentiment was, as we now have both entries in the Final representing the West. The Los Angeles Galaxy — the top seed out of the West entering the post-season — and Real Salt Lake — vanquishers of the best the East had to offer — face off at Qwest Field with the Philip F.

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The mix of young and old make the Galaxy a tough team to figure out for the expansion draft. (Getty Images)

We are quickly working our way through the 15 MLS clubs as we gear up for next week's expansion draft. The new kids on the block, the Philadelphia Union will get to select 10 players from the list of unprotected players that each club will have to submit by next Monday.

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Western Conference Final
LA 2-0 Houston

After two halves, two overtime periods, and two 18+ minute power outages the Western Conference final, which was appropriately played on Friday the 13th, came to an end with the number one seed in the west advancing to the final.

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Western Conference Final
LA 2-0 Houston

After two halves, two overtime periods, and two 18+ minute power outages the Western Conference final, which was appropriately played on Friday the 13th, came to an end with the number one seed in the west advancing to the final.

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And those words are: Western Conference Champions!

In another step in the worst-to-first journey that MLS Coach of the Year Bruce Arena has taken the team on, the Los Angeles Galaxy turned away a stiff challenge from the Houston Dynamo in 30 minutes of extra time with a 2-0 scoreline.

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The Major League Soccer Playoffs had its Conference Finals this weekend as the LA Galaxy hosted the Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference and Real Salt Lake traveled to Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference. The first match was the Dynamo and Galaxy who played on Friday, November 13, 2009. Who won and what happened in the match?

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This match promises to be a dogfight. The season series between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo featured exactly one goal and a lot of physical defending. If that sounds a lot like what Chivas and the Galaxy went through for the bulk of their five games this season, its not coincidence.

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The Metro Reverse Curse lives.

What is the Reverse Curse? It is a temporary suspension of all footballing ability while wearing a Metro Bull kit that is magically cured once a player switches kits to another club. There are so many examples of this, but sticking to recent memory (and not in any order of importance at all); Hunter Freeman leaves Red Bull and has become a regular starter in Norway, Gabriel Cichero leaves Red Bull and becomes a valuable piece of their National teams youth movement, Mike Magee has proven to be a key offensive cog in the Galaxy's overall make up leading the team in assists, Diego Jimenez continues to excel in Mexico, and notched two goals upon arriving back to his country after his RB departure.

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And those words are: Meeting the challenge.

Right. So before the first playoff leg I predicted a series score of 2-1. Then before the second playoff leg, seeing the kind of chaos the two teams were creating and the resulting goals, I predicted 2-1 for the game on Sunday.

So, looking at a 3-2 aggregate and a 1-0 second leg scoreline, you can see that I bloody well can't predict anything when it comes to these two teams.

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David Beckham switches attack with a swerving long ball down the left to Donovan. The Galaxy skipper crosses into the box to Mike Magee who is brought down by Yamith Cuesta's challenge. Ricardo Salazar points to the spot as Magee writhes in pain. Donovan converts the PK after an interminable wait.

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Seattle Sounders FC v. Houston Dynamo
As Kevin Calabro might say, the magic-carpet ride is over. The inaugural season for the Sounders FC is over after an overtime strike by Brian Ching gave the Dynamo a 1-0 aggregate win.
Can't say Seattle didn't turn heads in their first year. Click to continue reading...

Landon Donovan's second-half penalty kick proved to be the difference as the Los Angeles Galaxy edged Chivas USA, 1-0, on Sunday to take the series by a goal.

Mike Magee drew the vital penalty when he ran onto a Donovan pass before being crashed into by Chivas USA defender Yamith Cuesta.

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Galaxy 1 Chivas USA 0

David Beckham played a huge role in earning this goal for the Galaxy sending a long, gorgeous crossfield pass from the Galaxy's own half to Landon Donovan who crossed it to Mike Magee.

Magee was brought down - speared really by Yamith Cuesta - as he attempted to control the ball and was rewarded with a penalty kick.

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The United States
The 2009 MLS Playoffs got underway last Thursday when Seattle Sounders FC hosted Houston Dynamo before a crowd of approximately 36,000 soccer fans. Although the end result was 0-0, it was a thrilling match with both teams battling hard to find the goal. The teams meet for the second leg of their first round tie at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas at 2:00 pm local time this Sunday, and fans should expect a nail biter of a match. Click to continue reading...

STARTERS
The USA U17's advanced to the Round of 16 in the World Cup and play on Wednesday against Italy.
dN
Word is out that UANL Tigres left fullback Edgar Castillo has been invited to join Team USA for the 2 games in Europe later this month. This will be his first time with the team. Click to continue reading...

Defensive blunders punctuated yesterday's SuperClásico MLS Cup 2009 Playoff game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA as the teams drew 2-2. Maicon Santos scored early for Chivas before Mike Magee tied the match at 1-1. Landon Donovan gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead at halftime. However, Maykel Galindo was able to secure the draw [. Click to continue reading...

In-stadium rivals Chivas USA and the L.A. Galaxy played to an exciting 2-2 draw Sunday night, setting the stage for what will be the most important MLS "Super Clasico" to date next Sunday.

Chivas USA got off to a hot start in the match and they took the lead in just the 4th minute when Maicon Santos drilled a right footed shot past L.

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The most competitive of the opening round first-legs happened at the Home Depot Center on Sunday. Maicon Santos had Chivas USA up four minutes in, but LA drew even when Mike Magee scored in the 14th. Landon Donovan gave the Galaxy the lead in the 41st, and that held through halftime. The only goal of the second-half came early, with Maykel Galindo equalizing for Chivas USA in the 50th-minute. Click to continue reading...

The man of the moment for the Galaxy

For a moment Donovan Ricketts looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel after the Chivas attack had carved up the LA defense again and again. After he saved a sure goal from Maicon Santos he launched into a tirade against his defenders. His fury was absolutely justified at those bunch of clowns.

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Chivas USA 1 Galaxy 1

The Galaxy tied it up in the 14th minute when Yamith Cuesta made a terrible hash of what should have been a businesslike clearance of a speculative Landon Donovan header into the box. Instead the Columbian defender completely whiffed on the ball and a lurking Mike Magee had the simple task of putting it past Zach Thornton.

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Chivas USA 1 Galaxy 0

A mixup between Mike Magee and Landon Donovan just inside the Galaxy's own half gave Chivas USA possession in the fourth minute that Sacha Kljestan used to good effect to find Maicon Santos, who's deft outside of the foot shot into the far corner gave Donovan Ricketts no chance.

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Sunny and 80 degrees here at the under populated Home Depot Center.

Kick off has apparently been pushed back to 2:25 p.m. to accommodate TV if you're wondering.

It's the same starting lineup this afternoon that both teams fielded for the respective MLS season finales.

Here's Arena's team: Donovan Rickettts, Sean Franklin, Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant, Chris Birchall, David Beckham, Dema Kovalenko, Mike Magee, Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan.

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Welcome back to the playoffs!

It has been three long and, to be blunt, disastrous years since the last time the Galaxy played post-season futbol. That year they peaked at the right time after basically backing in to the playoffs and ended up taking the MLS Cup from New England on Pando Ramirez's only goal of the season.

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And those words are: Western Conference champions!

In a fitting display on their home turf, the Los Angeles Galaxy put the finishing touches on a worst-to-first regular season for 2009. After a horrific 2008, the culmination of years of front-office incompetence and on-field underachievement accomplished under the glare of international media, the Galaxy put together a season that culminated in a first-in the West finish and a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

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Landon Donovan sparked a 2-0 defeat of San Jose completing a turnaround for the LA Galaxy after missing the playoffs three years in a row. In an interesting formation, David Beckham played central midfield and Mike Magee played striker.

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The Galaxy come into the season's final game knowing a win will give them the top spot in the Western Conference and home field advantage in the playoffs because L.A. holds most of the tiebreakers over Houston and Chivas USA, which play each other at noon Sunday here at Home Depot Center, should either of those two teams finish tied with them on points.

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And that word is: Punchless.

Or it could be seven words: This team is nothing without Landon Donovan.

So let's start with the positive: shutting out Houston at home in front of a sell-out crowd and forcing Pat Onstad to actually make some saves. Once again Donovan Ricketts proves his worth making a busload of saves and the backline bends but doesn't break.

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And those word are: Gutting it out.

The Los Angeles Galaxy took three points at home from a determined Fire team populated with a large number of replacement for injured players. As has been the case all season, the defense provided the base from which the Galaxy was able to generate just enough offense to put the game away.

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Galaxy 1 Chicago Fire 0

Frantic ending to this one that began about five minutes from the end of regulation time.

First we had a rare indirect free kick inside the Galaxy penalty box after the referee ruled the Galaxy's Chris Birchall had deliberately made a back pass to Donovan Ricketts that the goalkeeper picked up (it appeared it bounced off Birchall's shin accidentally, but no matter).

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An important game for two teams with identical records as the regular season winds down and playoff implications on the line.

Lovely warm fall night here at Home Depot Center; let's hope the crowd fills in.

Not surprisingly, Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena has rung the changes in the wake of the disappointing 2-0 loss to Columbus last weekend.

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