Recently in Major League Soccer Category

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 person who correctly predicts the score of Sunday's game in the comments section of this blog post. Feel free to explain your reasoning, too. If more than one reader chooses the correct score, I'll draw a name at random.

Winners of previous contests on this blog are ineligible this time around, BTW. The deadline is 5 p.m. Sunday. I'll notify the winner via e-mail Monday.

Need help figuring out the score?

Former Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid told me this week via e-mail that "I think this is the Salt Lake Cinderella story. Too much speed up top. (Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan) Ricketts is due to make an error - do not ask me why - just a hunch."

And for what it's worth, the Galaxy will win its third MLS Cup with a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake at Qwest Field in Seattle, WA, if you believe an official EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 10 videogame simulation of the MLS Cup final using the Xbox 360.

The Galaxy's Landon Donovan shreds the RSL defense in this screen shot.

Here's how the simulation went:

The Galaxy led 2-0 early in the second half and then survived a frantic comeback attempt by Real Salt Lake to capture its third MLS title.

Edson Buddle (40th minute) and Landon Donovan (59th minute) gave the Galaxy a 2-0 lead. Late in the first half, Buddle received a smooth pass from Eddie Lewis just left of the penalty mark and fired a rocket with his left foot past RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Donovan then made it 2-0 after he pounced on a rebound off a Mike Magee shot, controlled the ball and gently slide it into an empty net while Rimando was still on the ground.

Javier Morales gave Real Salt Lake hope when he fired a shot from 18 yards out past Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. Salt Lake pressed forward for the equalizer over the final 14 minutes but Ricketts turned back the only dangerous shot, a Clint Mathis blast from the right side, four minutes from the end of regulation.

Galaxy outshot Real Salt Lake 16-5. Donovan was named Man of the Match after firing six shots on goal and scoring the game-winner.

First things first: the Galaxy's Alecko Eskandarian is on Drew Carey's "The Price is Right at 10 a.m. on CBS (sorry for the late notice).

In other momentous MLS Cup related news:

*Seattle introduces - the Galaxy dog.

*Former Galaxy midfielder Ned Grabavoy is a hero in Salt Lake City after scoring the PK that put them through to the final - but may not play Sunday against his former team.

*David Beckham hasn't trained fully with the team all week and may take pain killers to get through Sunday's game. (And be sure and check out Beckham's hairstyles through the years at the pic just to the right of the story on that Web page).

*Former Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas (and current ESPN soccer analyst) talks to Daily News sports media columnist Tom Hoffarth here.

*The Seattle Times is going all out with its on-line MLS Cup coverage.

And because we can't have enough pictures of the Galaxy logo atop Seattle's Space Needle: (MLS Photo)

In other soccer news:

*Some residents of a West Torrance neighborhood equate AYSO with prostitution (seriously).

*The CSUDH women's team plays its biggest game of the year tonight without its biggest offensive threat.

Not much of a surprise there. It was just announced on ESPNews.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is this is the first time that Landon Donovan, a five-time Honda Player of the Year and two-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year, has won the MLS award.

Said Donovan:

"Well, from a statistical standpoint it wasn't my best year, but what is important to me, and I think the reason we're being recognized, is that our team was very good this year. You see with Bruce winning Coach of the Year and Omar winning Rookie of the Year, and I think Donovan should have won Goalkeeper of the Year, we're being recognized for what we've done this year. I think this is especially nice because it's not only the media or the fans, it's also your peers, and when your peers vote for you that means a little bit extra."

He beat out Dallas' Jeff Cunningham and the Revs' Shalrie Joseph, BTW.

He's the second Galaxy player to win the award; Carlos Ruiz was the first in 2002.

Updated - here's more:

SEATTLE (AP) -- Long considered the best player in the U.S., Landon Donovan is now the best player in Major League Soccer.

The Los Angeles Galaxy forward and six-time national player of the year was named the MLS most valuable player on Thursday for the first time in his career.

Despite all his accolades as the leader of the U.S. national team, Donovan had yet to be
recognized by his own league until this season when he helped the Galaxy race to the MLS Cup final and overcome some of his own off-the-field distractions.

Los Angeles will face Real Salt Lake for the MLS title on Sunday night in Seattle. Donovan beat out FC Dallas' Jeff Cunningham, the league's goal scoring leader with a career-best 17 goals, and New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph for the award.

It's already been the longest and most trying year of Donovan's career.

Donovan, 27, was instrumental in the Americans' successful qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup and its trek to the Confederations Cup championship match, large factors in him winning an unprecedented sixth Honda Player of the Year Award last month.

He scored 12 goals in the regular season and added six assists for the Galaxy, despite missing a month of the season in helping lead the U.S. to the Confederations Cup final. That total followed up on last season when Donovan scored a league-high 20 goals, but missed out on the MVP award as Los Angeles finished last in the Western Conference.

This year, Donovan was the leader. Los Angeles was the best team in the West, overcoming a remarkable 11 ties in its first 13 games to take the top spot and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since its run to the title in 2005 as the No. 8 seed.

"He's grown on the field as a player. He's a more mature consistent player, but his role off the field with this team has been perhaps even better, remarkable," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said recently. "The things he did to help build this team to have the right kind of team chemistry, to be a leader ... Landon was consistently here every day and taking the responsibility of a captain. He's been doing a fantastic job."

And it wasn't just the regular season where Donovan excelled.

Donovan scored in the opener of the Galaxy's first-round series against rival Chivas USA, then added a penalty kick goal versus Chivas to help clinch the playoff victory in the second-leg.

In the conference final last Friday against Houston, Donovan's overtime penalty kick goal cemented the 2-0 victory and a spot in the league championship game. He now has 17 career playoff goals, most in league history.

Donovan's 2009 season grabbed plenty of attention for what happened away from his time on the field with the Galaxy.

He spent three months on loan to German powerhouse Bayern Munich and was not offered a full contract. His marriage, to actress Bianca Kajlich, dissolved. And he was a major figure in Grant Wahl's "The Beckham Experiment," a book chronicling and critical of David Beckham's first two seasons with the Galaxy. Donovan criticized Beckham's leadership and effort in the book, and he apologized to the English star for airing his thoughts in public.

Since Beckham returned to the Galaxy from a loan deal to Italy's AC Milan, he and Donovan developed a strong partnership that has helped fuel their run to the league championship game.

Briefly:

*In praise of Galaxy GM and Coach Bruce Arena.

*For Real Salt Lake MLS Cup equals redemption.

* Former Chivas USA Coach Preki was officially unveiled as Toronto's new coach today. Wonder how much longer Amado Guevara will be around?

*Want to party like it's 1989? Former UCLA and Galaxy defender Paul Caligiuri will be honored tonight at Original Mike's in Orange County on the 20th anniversary of the "shot heard 'round the world." The event begins at 7 p.m.

*MLS has set the expansion draft for the new Philadelphia Union for Wednesday afternoon. From the MLS press release:

Philadelphia will select the core of their inaugural squad in a 10-round draft next Wednesday. Teams can participate in a half-day trade window on Monday until Noon ET. All 15 MLS teams are required to submit their lists of protected players to the League by 3 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 23. ... Philadelphia Union may not claim more than one player from any given team in MLS - five teams will not have a player taken in the expansion draft.

* The U.S. fell 3-1 to Denmark Wednesday.

*France is in the World Cup helped by a disputed missed hand ball; the Irish want a replay.

Or at least the club's logo does 550 feet above the city of Seattle to mark Sunday's MLS Cup, along with those of the league and opponent Real Salt Lake.Photo courtesy Omega Graphics.

Donovan's goal came in the Aug. 8 game against New England and was one of 12 he scored during the regular season.

His stunning left-footed volley beat out an Alecko Eskandarian effort and eight other finalists. It's the first time a Donovan goal has received the award.

Compare the 10 best strikes (as voted by fans) here:

With a soggy forecast in Seattle for MLS Cup Sunday the Galaxy's thoughts have turned to the one drawback to Qwest Field - the artificial turf.

Meanwhile, former Galaxy striker Robbie Findley is looking forward to a championship clash against his former club.

Notable: This is David Beckham's first game in Seattle since joining MLS (although he played there in 2006 with Real Madrid).

BTW, fans attending the game should note the traditional (can I use that word in a team's first season?) "March to the Match" from the Pioneer Square area that's performed before every Sounders game will also be done Sunday at 4 p.m. Beginning at Occidental Park, a few blocks north of the stadium, MLS Commissioner Don Garber and members of the Sounders FC ownership, management and playing roster will join the supporters from all teams in the short trek to the stadium.

Finally, here's a game preview from the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The only obstacle between David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy and a Major League Soccer championship is an MLS Cup opponent that barely made the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a losing record.

Sure, it might sound like a simple Sunday in Seattle for Beckham, Landon Donovan and the star-studded Galaxy. Yet Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena is certain it'll be anything but easy to finish off Real Salt Lake in the league final.

"I don't think any of us focus on who are the underdogs or anything like that," Arena said
Tuesday. "Very little separates one team from the other. ... Let me tell you, Salt Lake was
not a team with a record of six more losses than wins this year or something. They were a team that was right up there. They've been a competitive team throughout the season."

The Galaxy and Real will travel to the Pacific Northwest later in the week for the one-game
culmination of the MLS season, with Los Angeles looking to win its third league title in its
record sixth appearance in the championship. Salt Lake squeaked into the playoffs' eighth seed at 11-12-7 before winning three straight postseason games to make its first final.

"Wow, it sounds like we better not even go," said Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "We don't even have a chance, do we?"

Nobody in either locker room expects a coronation for the Galaxy, even after they finally
meshed their star talent with outstanding results. Los Angeles finished with the Western
Conference's best record despite a rocky start to the season during which Beckham was booed by the home crowd during a friendly against AC Milan for his elongated dalliance with that Italian team.

"We've been growing as a team all year, and this is definitely the culmination of that
effort," said defender Gregg Berhalter, who scored the extra-time winner -- his first goal all
season -- in last Friday's Western Conference final against Houston. "We haven't given up on ourselves, and we've been plugging away when a lot of people were saying we weren't that good of a team."

With Beckham playing the best soccer of his U.S. career while Donovan rose to the top of the MLS playoff scoring charts, both stars happily missed national team assignments this fall to pursue the league title. Since that rocky homecoming in July, Beckham has reclaimed most of the fan support he lost during his elongated stint in Italy -- even though he's headed back to AC Milan in January.

"I think the reason (fans staying angry with Beckham) didn't happen was because of the way David played and demonstrated he cares about the LA Galaxy," said Arena, who will go for his third league title after winning two with DC United in the 1990s.

"His performance has quieted his detractors," Arena said. "I think that day against AC Milan in the exhibition, obviously there were some frustrated fans, and things weren't perfect, but I never felt David wouldn't be able to handle it. He's played with the biggest clubs in the world. I thought he was able to handle anything, and he's done that."

Real Salt Lake also opened the season under a spotlight.

They were a popular preseason pick to contend for the league title after reaching the conference championship game last season, but an early seven-match winless skid suggested Real was overrated -- even to Kreis, who blamed himself for his club's early struggles with poor motivational ploys and faulty lineups.

"It was dire, and I think I contributed to that because I was very overconfident," Kreis said.
"I think I added to what was a little bit of an underlying thing on the team that we were a
bit overconfident going into this season. We had been reading a bit too much about how we would compete for a championship this year, and we forgot the little things that got us here. We don't have stars on our team, and we had got away from that a little bit."

Salt Lake was the last side to make the eight-team MLS playoff field, winning the tiebreaker with DC United and Colorado after all three finished with 40 points apiece. Real's 11-12-7 record wasn't spectacular, but it was good enough to get in -- and since then, they've won three straight matches to advance to their first league final.

While European observers might scoff at the idea of crowning a champion that couldn't even win more than it lost during league play, the system works for Arena and MLS.

"No one cares what the rest of the world thinks," Arena said. "We have a system here that's really an American sports tradition here: playoffs. It's not that unique."

From the ESPN press release:

ESPN2's live coverage of the 2009 MLS Western Conference Finals Friday, Nov. 13, a 2 - 0 extra time victory by the Los Angeles Galaxy over the Houston Dynamo, was seen in an average of 538,000 television homes (700,000 people 2+), based on a 0.5 rating, making it the most-watched MLS telecast ever on the network.

The previous record was on Thurs., Aug. 23, 2007, in a regular-season match between Chivas USA and Los Angeles, seen in an average of 532,000 television homes (658,000 P2+), a 0.6 rating.

Additionally on ESPN Deportes, the match was seen in an average of 73,000 Hispanic television homes (121,000 Hispanic P2+), a 1.6 Hispanic coverage rating.

Hmm. How much higher would the ratings have been if the game hadn't ended at 2:30 a.m. or so back on the East Coast?

* Read it here.

*For a similar view from a Salt Lake City perspective click here.

*MLS has started a blog focused (for now) on MLS Cup here.

Garber gave an earlier and less formal state of the league address than he has in years past in a teleconference with reporters today.

Garber announced the MLS Best XI during the call, which includes one player apiece from the Galaxy and Chivas USA:

goalkeeper - Zach Thornton
defenders - Chad Marshall, Wilman Conde, Geoff Cameron
midfielders - Dwayne DeRosario, Landon Donovan, Stuart Holden, Shalrie Joseph, Freddie Ljungberg
forwards - Conor Casey, Jeff Cunningham

Other major talking points included:
*A reiteration MLS is looking to become a 20-team league. There will be 18 teams when Philadelphia (which is nearing the 8,500 season ticket mark) joins next season and Portland and Vancouver the year after that. MLS has had "productive discussions" about team No. 19 going to Montreal, but no real movement on the 20th franchise.

*That MLS is evaluating its playoff format and is considering following the lead of WPS and allowing the regular season winner to host the final:

"There's support here in the league to strongly consider moving MLS Cup away from a designated site and into a market where the team that earns the right (to host the game) does so," Garber said. "We think it's a good idea, but we're still working through the details to see if we can pull it off."'

Briefly:

*The initial 36,000 tickets for MLS Cup Sunday in Seattle sold out, so another 6,000 tickets have been put on sale. Details here.

*As unlikely as the Galaxy's run to MLS Cup was, Real Salt Lake's performance was even less expected. Reaction here.

*U.S. Coach Bob Bradley called in the Houston Dynamo midfield duo of Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden and Tigres defender Edgar Castillo for Wednesday's game against Demark. Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey and Chad Marshall were released. José Francisco Torres, who was initially called into camp for the game, has been excused for personal reasons.

* College roundup. In addition, the Loyola Marymount men (10-8-2, 5-5-2 WCC) beat Saint Mary's 2-0 Sunday. An at-large spot in the NCAA tournament is possible for the Lions who finished third in the conference. The draw is set for 5:30 p.m. today on ESPNews.

Updated noon:

Former Chivas USA Coach Preki is in talks with Toronto.

Former Galaxy player and goal hero Ned Grabavoy, left, and Real Salt Lake, which beat the Chicago Fire on penalty kicks to become Eastern Conference champions (let's get rid of these silly conferences based on irrelevant geography, MLS) will face the Galaxy Sunday in Seattle.

Grabavoy scored the winning goal just before the picture was taken above, although former Galaxy striker Robbie Findley almost scored in the dying moments of regulation time only to be denied by Palos Verdes Peninsula product John Thorrington.

Game story.

Wonder how relevant the two games these clubs have played this season already will be next Sunday?

A Landon Donovan-less Galaxy were abysmal in a 2-0 home loss to Real Salt Lake in June, while a 2-2 draw to RSL the previous month in Sandy, Utah wasn't much better.

Convinced next Sunday's game will have a better outcome?

Then you might want to click here.

In other Saturday soccer news:

* The UCLA men tied San Diego State 1-1 in their regular season finale with Palos Verdes Estates' Kyle Nakazawa getting the equalizer.

*And we have three newcomers to the party in South Africa next year.

(AP Photo)

Galaxy 2 Houston 0

Game story.

The Houston Chronicle perspective.

It was a weird game in a weird season that started with a franchise coming off a worst-ever year, a new coach, 16 or so new players, seemingly interminable and in some cases lucky draws and a very public spat between the team's two superstars.

On Friday, there were two lengthy and disorienting 18-minute power outages (attributed to overly-sensitive floodlights that cut out if there's a power fluctuation) to add to the unusually late kickoff to accommodate TV as well as overtime that led to the game finishing just before 11:30 p.m.

There were unlikely heroes in Gregg Berhalter and Alan Gordon, who drew the penalty that allowed Donovan to nail the goal and sole posession of the MLS record for post-season goals.

This, players proclaimed in word and action, was a team.

Quotable:

"We don't want to end it here," said Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena. "A bunch of you know what we looked like at the start of the year. ... At no time did I think we'd (have a chance to) win the MLS Cup."

"We needed to make a play to kill the game and we made it and they didn't," said Landon Donovan. "We worked on set plays a lot over the past couple of weeks. It should be a bigger part of our game and it isn't. We've got a few guys good in the air and we've got maybe the best server of the ball on the planet, so we want to be better at it and we scored a great goal today.

"You've got to put them away," said defender Gregg Berhalter of his first Galaxy goal that came at a crucial time and was quite the ruthless display of opportunistic finishing the likes of Michael Owen would have been proud of. "It's been a long time coming, seriously," "We're not happy with the fact we haven't scored a lot of goals from set pieces and we scored one today.

Highlights:

Oh, and in other weirdness former Galaxy player Simon Elliott is World Cup bound; New Zealand beat Bahrain 1-0 Saturday to secure a spot in South Africa.

Galaxy 2 Houston Dynamo 0

Who would have thunk it at the outset of this season?

Two extra time goals by Gregg Berhalter (!) and Landon Donovan - his 17th postseason goal, the most in MLS (he was tied with Carlos Ruiz previously) - has given the Galaxy the win before an energized 25,373 even though it's past 11:30 p.m.

And Omar Gonzalez almost scored an own goal with a header off the bar in the final minute of stoppage time, too!

Updated: David Beckham got into a little argy bargy after the final whistle when a Dynamo player refused to shake hands with him and he grabbed his hand anyway. The players were quickly separated. No big deal.

Said Beckham:

"There's nothing wrong with a bit of controversy in a team, in a club, it brings players together and it's done that."

More later.

Landon Donovan just scored from the penalty spot in the 110th minute after Bobby Boswell brought down Alan Gordon in the penalty area.