The Los Angeles Galaxy have advanced to the Western Conference Finals thanks to Landon Donovan's hat trick on Sunday. In the east, the New York Red Bulls advanced to the Conference Finals to face the New England Revolution on November 23.
The Galaxy defeated Real Salt Lake by the score of 5-0 on Sunday thanks to the performances of Donovan and Robbie Keane. In the second game of the two-game home-and-away aggregate-goal format, Donovan delivered three goals and an assist while Keane served up three assists and a goal. Marcelo Sarvas added another goal and the Galaxy earned a victory after a 0-0 draw in the first game against Real Salt Lake.
Donovan and the Galaxy will move on to face the winner of tonight's matchup between the Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas. These two teams faced off in the first game of their playoff series on November 2 and it ended in a 1-1 draw. If the Sounders win, it could make for an interesting matchup in the Western Conference Finals, as Donovan would square off against fellow United States soccer star Clint Dempsey. But we won't know until after tonight, and then the MLS will take a break for international play, during which the United States will face Colombia and Ireland in the next couple of weeks.
This is Donovan's final MLS season, which he announced back in August. He was left off the U.S. World Cup roster this past summer because head coach Jurgen Klinsmann felt a number of other players were ahead of him. Donovan played his final game as a member of the U.S. Men's National Team on October 10 against Ecuador. It would be surely magical if Donovan can win another MLS championship in his final season as a professional soccer player. But if he and the Galaxy advance to the championship, they'll have a tough task ahead of them.
The New York Red Bulls also advanced to their conference finals after Saturday's matchup against D.C. United. New York was victorious in the first matchup on November 2 by the score of 2-0, and then followed that up with a 2-1 loss at United, but advanced due to the aggregate goal differential. In the first game, Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry set up two goals for Bradley Wright-Phillips and Peguy Luyindula in the 2-0 victory. Despite D.C. United's victory in the second matchup, they failed to advance because the Red Bulls had more aggregate goals (3-2) and away goals (1-0). Luyindula shut the door on United's hopes with a goal in the 57th minute.
New York will face New England on November 23rd at Red Bull Arena while the Galaxy will face the winner of the Sounders and FC Dallas at a venue/time to be determined on the 23rd as well.
