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CCL Rewind: Sounders clinch spot, Galaxy play to scoreless draw

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photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

The first team to book its spot in the knockout round of the CONCACAF Champions League did so on Wednesday night in wild fashion.

That team was the Seattle Sounders.

The Sounders became the first team to clinch a first-place finish in the group stage, as they went into Honduras and defeated Maraton, 3-2, courtesy of a late strike from Brad Evans.

Seattle, now on nine points through three games in Group 4, took two seperate leads in the game but Marathon was able to pull level each time. There was no response, however, to Evans' tally in the 78th minute off a pass from fellow substitute Osvaldo Alonso that secured the Sounders' advancement in the competition.

The Los Angeles Galaxy also took to the road with a chance to clinch their spot in the next round, but they were forced to settle for a scoreless draw with the Puerto Rico Islanders. The Galaxy fielded a reserve lineup and they needed goalkeeper Brian Perk to come up with three big saves in order to prevent a loss that could have made things trickier for them in Group 5.

The result eliminated the Islanders and leaves Los Angeles poised to advance after going 2-0-1 in their first three matches. The Galaxy close out group play with a match against Isidro Metapan on October 25, but they could be qualified for the next round by then if the Salvadorian club fails to beat the Islanders next week.

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What do you think of the Sounders' 3-2 win over Honduras? Surprised the Galaxy reserves could not beat Puerto Rico? Which of these two MLS clubs do you think has a better shot at making a run in this competition?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Define try to keep winning…..

    Sigi plays a deep bench, a lot, so last night was mostly back ups and Eddie.

    Evans ( borderline starter anyway ), Montero and Alonso coming on later. I would guess he does that next time too.

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  2. agreed. Bruce sometimes makes me wonder. Idiot should’ve put a stronger 11 to start and gone ahead early. We can’t afford to play a must win CCL game when we have such a critical MLS schedule at the same time, Bruce messed this one up

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  3. I read that Arena wanted to rest his starters because he had three games (2 MLS and last nights) in a week. The way the reserves played against Puerto Rico at the Home-Depot Center he was probably hoping for a win. I think Beckham is hurt, and Robbie Keane is carrying a yellow card.

    That said the reserves didn’t look good. Buddle is coming off an injury but he still doesn’t look good. Michael Stephens played good,Pat Noonan did okay. Noonan used to be a very good player with New England, doesn’t look like the same player anymore. Brian Perk had a good game. Donovan,Sarvas, and Juninho did what they could but they didn’t have a lot to work with.

    Also the Islanders kept most of their players in front of the goal. Still the Galaxy has the quality they should have scored.

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  4. This is the Champions League, not the US Open Cup. Don’t think you’ll see many European teams ‘developing’ their young players in the Champions League, that’s what the reserve league is for. These games are too important to trust an entire reserve team to come away with a win, especially on the road. This draw might just come back to haunt LA.

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  5. I wouldn’t call it diving (seriously, he had nothing on the Marathon players), but he goes down far too easily. He is slowly getting better about it, but he still thinks he’s going to get the call at some point, and he simply never will.

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  6. I think Arena uses these games to develop young players. Kind of like the English teams do with the FA and Carling cup matches. He was probably thinking that they’re pretty comfortable with wins in the first two games. Remember this was virtually the same squad that took it to PR at the home depot center.

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  7. Really have to question Arena’s reserve filled starting line-up AWAY at Puerto Rico, road games are always tough in CONCACAF. Galaxy could have basically ensured their way into the next round with a win, but now they will need at least a draw at Metapan to advance assuming Metapan wins in PR. What’s the point of bringing Donovan, Juninho, and Sarvas all the way to PR to play for 20 minutes? Arena should have started them, then pulled them out IF they got up by a goal or two.

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  8. More or less the same Galaxy reserve team that dismantled PRI in LA looked flat and disorganized last night. I had a hard time staying away for 90 minutes. Do better, boys.

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