COLORADO 0 LOS ANGELES 2
Galaxy rides Donovan to final
Nov. 5 in Denver
Colorado 0 Los Angeles 2.
Goals: Donovan (Jones) 28, Donovan 88.
Yellow Cards: Colorado – Mastroeni 22; Los Angeles – Ihemelu 25, Marshall 71.
Referee: Brian Hall.
Att.: 12,789.
Now aren't we glad that Landon Donovan didn't stay in Germany? His two spectacular goals saved the Western Conference final from being completely devoid of thrilling soccer. Superbly set up by Cobi Jones, who dodged two tacklers and avoided a third, Donovan scored his first from six yards out, stretching on the slide to poke the ball inside the near post. His second began at the halfway line and he faked out three defenders, recovered from a stumble, and curled a perfect shot inside the far post. That was his record-setting 14th career playoff goal and his fourth postseason strike this season.
REPORT CARD (1=low; 5=average; 10=high)
Colorado – 5 Cannon, 5 Denton, 7 Mastroeni, 5 Petke, 5 Cullen (6 Noel, 65), 5 Beckerman (nr Serna, 79), 6 Ben Dayan (5 Kotschau, 54),5 Cooke, 5 Kirovski, 4 Cunningham, 4 Peguero.
Los Angeles – 5 Hartman, 5 Albright, 6 Marshall, 5 Ihemelu, 5 Dunivant, 5 Grabavoy (5 Saragosa, 70), 6 Nagamura, 6 Vagenas, 7 Jones (nr Naldo, 94+), 9 Donovan, 4 Gomez (nr Gordon, 81).
NEW ENGLAND 1 CHICAGO 0
Revs grind out win
Nov. 6 in Foxboro, Mass.
New England 1, Chicago 0.
Goal: Dempsey (Joseph, Hernandez) 4
Referee: Terry Vaughn.
Att. 18,118.
An early goal and a resilient defense carried New England into MLS Cup. Chicago's attack livened up after Chad Barrett came on for the injured Nate Jaqua, but despite some inventive moments from Thiago, most of the Fire shots were of only moderate threat. Reis handled those efforts and got to the few crosses that Michael Parkurst and his mates couldn't reach.
REPORT CARD (1=low; 5=average; 10=high)
New England — 7 Reis, 6 Heaps, 7 Parkhurst, 6 Franchino, 6 Ralston (5 Cancela, 68), 5 Dempsey, 5 Hernandez, 5 Joseph, 6 Riley, 5 Twellman, 6 Noonan.
Chicago — 5 Thornton, 5 Brown, 6 Curtin, 5 Segares, 4 Stewart, 6 Thiago, 5 Marsh (nr Caballero, 82), 4 Pause, 6 Guerrero, 4 Jaqua (6 Barrett, 43) 4 Rolfe (3 Herron, 71).