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Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles Galaxy: Match day Commentary

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 BY ADAM SERRANO

Happy Fourth of July Everyone! I hope that you're having a stupendous independence day wherever it is you may be. Tonight, United States World Cup heroes Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle return to the Los Angeles Galaxy as they prepare to take on the struggling Seattle Sounders (ESPN2/ESPNDeportes, 7:30PDT)

The Galaxy are playing in their first home game since the World Cup break and will look to get back in the win column after drawing against Toronto last weekend. For the Sounders, the team is in desperate need of a victory after dropping a pair of matches to two of the worst teams in the league, D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union. 

This is Adam Serrano coming to you from the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. As always I will be providing the live commentary and you are welcome to leave your thoughts and analysis in the comment section below. Enjoy the Match! 

FINAL – Seattle made it interesting for a moment, but this was a comprehensive victory for Los Angeles. The team put the Sounders on notice from the outset of the match and dominated throughout. Credit to Landon Donovan who played the full 90 despite looking quite sluggish as the game wore on. In the end it was Juninho's wonderstrike from nearly 40 yards out that finished off the Sounders off.

It looks like it will be time for Sigi Schmid to go back to the drawing board as the Sounders did not look sharp tonight save for a five minute period. That is all from the Home Depot Center for now, be sure to check out SBI for more coverage on tonight's game. Once again, have a happy and safe fourth of July. This is Adam Serrano, thanks for following along. 

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93rd Minute – Poor effort and Ricketts will launch a goal kick and this one is about done. 

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92nd Minute – Montano forces Ricketts to make a save and Seattle will get their first corner of the night. 

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90th Minute – 3 Minutes of stoppage time.

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90th Minute – The effort is sent way above Ricketts net. This one is all done but the final whistle. 

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89th Minute – YELLOW CARD: Cazumba picks upa a yellow with a foul on Montero. Sets up a dangerous Seattle free kick. 

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87th Minute – The Angel City Brigade starting the "This is LA" chant. Surely the Sounders will be hearing that one in their ears as this one winds down. 

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85th Minute – Or not… One Brazilian on for another as Juninho is pulled. 

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84th Minute – Alex Cazumba preparing to come on. This looks like the end of Donovan's night. Time for the curtain call. 

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83rd Minute – Juninho takes the free kick that forces Keller to dive, but it goes just wide. Ljungberg is coming out for the Sounders and is replaced by Miguel Montano. 

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82nd Minute – Ex-Galaxy Man Tyrone Marshall brings down Juninho and gets a yellow card. This sets up a dangerous free kick from about 30 yards out. 

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80th Minute –Announced attendance is 27,000. That's a Sell Out at the Home Depot Center. They've gotten a treat here tonight. 

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79th Minute – Gordon gets a world of space and sends in a cross for Donovan. Riley comes into play the ball and inadvertently hits it past Keller who also went for the ball. Galaxy fans shouting "We Hate You" at the Sounders supporters. Great atmosphere. 

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78th Minute – GALAXY GOAL!!! GORDON SENDS IN THE CROSS AND ITS AN OWN GOAL OFF RILEY!!

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77th Minute – Poor corner by Donovan who looks very tired that goes out for a goal kick. . He's just walking around the field now. 

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76th Minute – Arena pushes up Donovan with Gordon as the Galaxy look for that third goal. They earn a corner at the Riot Squad end. 

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75th Minute – Seattle finally looking alive. Ljungberg with a little chip while being marked, but Rickets makes the save. Bowen coming off for Klein. 

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73rd Minute – Incredible that Arena is sticking with Donovan right now. It looked like Klein would go in for him at the half, but so far no looks towards the bench. 

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68th Minute – Zakuani gets a great ball from Montero and deceives Gregg Berhalter who was going in the opposite direction. He walks in on goal and beats Ricketts on the right side. Game On! 

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66th Minute – GOAL!!! ZAKUANI!!! WHAT A RUN!

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65th Minute – Watching that Juninho goal again in the press box. What a shot. Easily a candidate for goal of the year right there. 

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62nd Minute – GALAXY SUB: BUDDLE OFF for GORDON. Fireworks are going off to the East of the Stadium, I'd say we've seen some fireworks tonight on the field from Buddle.

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59th Minute – Make that Alan "Flash" Gordon who is about to come on. Klein also got some marching orders so he should come on for Donovan. 

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58th Minute – Seattle starting to resort to some sloppy tackles on LA, Ianni hacks down Buddle who lips away. Looks like Arena will go to the bench as Klein gets set to come on. 

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56th Minute – The Seattle fans show some life, but are quickly shouted down by the Galaxy supporters groups. That kind of night for Rain City. 

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55th Minute – Buddle goes in all alone and elects not to pass inside to Bowen. He cuts back to his right, but is wrapped up by the Seattle defense. He goes down in the box, but the Ref signals a goal kick. 

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54th Minute – Seattle is just not seeing the ball at all right now. All of their drives forward look sloppy and are quickly handled by the faster Galaxy defense. Sigi Schmid does not look pleased on the sideline. 

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52nd Minute – Donovan's effort is cleared by Keller and he gets a corner on the opposite end, but this time Keller wraps it up. 

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50th Minute – SOUNDERS SUB: SEAMON FOR VAGENAS. Galaxy with a corner at the Riot Squad end. 

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49th Minute – What.a.goal. The Brazilian fires a rocket from 38 yards out for his first MLS goal. What a way to start your career in America, Mr. Brazilian. The Sounders looked stunned as Mike Seamon appears to come in for Seattle.

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47th Minute – GOOOOOAL!!!!! JUNINHO!!!

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45th Minute – We're Back. Seattle makes one sub. Jaqua comes in for Noonan. 

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HALFTIME – No Stoppage time is needed as we head into halftime. The half was dominated by the Galaxy who completely shut down the Seattle attack. Sigi Schmid will need to have a harsh word with his side, but one positive that he can take is that they aren't down by a bigger margin. For Los Angeles, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle play reflects the time that they saw in South Africa. Buddle is spry and looking dangerous with every run, but Donovan appears very tired. Don't be surprised to see one or both of them exit soon.

As M.I.A.'s Paper Planes is playing on the speakers right now. The Sounders will need to restore their defense or else *Bang, Bang Bang* they'll be down by two goals shortly. 

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44th Minute – Buddle is back on the field as Ianni fires a shot that misses horrible. Goal kick to the Galaxy. 

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41st Minute – DANGEROUS moment Buddle on the ground right now after a collision. The crowd looks stunned and the physios are out, but Buddle will get off on his own power. 

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40th Minute – Ball goes off a Sounder for another Galaxy corner. Once more the ball falls to Buddle gets a head on it. No Chance  

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39th Minute – Weak cross falls to Noonan, but the striker can't handle the ball and Ricketts scoops it up. Terrible play by the Sounders. On the opposite end, Juninho runs into Ianni and the ref calls a foul on the edge of the box. 

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35th Minute – Poor corner from Donovan and the Sounders earn possession. Landon starting to look pretty tired. If the Galaxy score another goal, expect him to get a well deserved rest. 

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33rd Minute – Galaxy threaten and earn another corner. Flashbulbs are out for Donovan as he takes this. 

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32nd Minute -WOW! Zakuani plays a great ball to Noonan from the left hand side, but the striker whiffs on the chance and appears to slip on the confetti in front of the net. Seattle just can't get anything going tonight. 

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30th Minute – If I am Sigi Schmid, I consider going to a sub early, this game is not going well at all and the team is in dire need of some sort of shake up. 

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29th Minute – The Sounders can't see to string together a drive forward, the Rave Green are holding a bit of possession now, but they can't seem to crack theGalaxy defense. 

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26th Minute – Gregg Berhalter takes the free kick and it just misses the net. The Galaxy are just clicking everywhere now. 

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25th Minute – The corner effort is cleared, but Gonzalez fouls Donovan and sets up a dangerous free kick from about 25 yards out. 

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23rd Minute – The ball falls to Ricketts who makes a heads up play to send the ball back down field. Galaxy again threatening the Seattle defense. Corner for the Galaxy as Buddle hits a ball off of Gonzalez. 

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22nd Minute – The Sounders are forced to play catch up now. Ljungberg with a free kick fro the left side. 

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20th Minute – Donovan feeds Buddle with a header off a corner. The striker beats two markers and heads it in with great authority. Watch out MLS, he's back. 

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20th Minute – GALAXY GOAL!! EDSON BUDDLE!!!!

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19th Minute – MISS! Birchall again tests Keller from distance, it results in a corner and the ball falls to Buddle who puts it off the post but it goes to Keller's foot and off for another corner.  

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17th Minute – LA fans seem to be mocking the Sounders supporters with an "LA" "Galaxy" call and response chant similar to what the fans of the Rave Green do in Seattle. 

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15th Minute – Donovan looking very spry tonight. It's amazing that he was an injury doubt. The hamstring looks fine tonight.

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13th Minute – The Galaxy are dominating possession, the Sounders have not had a positive push up field yet in this match. They want that early goal,  but they need to beware of overcomitting and leaving themselves open on the counter. 

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11th Minute – The corner falls to Birchall who fires a dangerous shot from about 28 yards out that goes just over the bar and into the Angel City Brigade. 

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10th Minute – Donovan nearly gets a break away off a pass from Buddle, but Gonzalez clears. Corner. 

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9th Minute – The effort is cleared, but another costly foul on the Sounders gives the Galaxy set piece. The effort is hit to Buddle who launches a shot into Marshall. He wants a goal tonight, you can tell. 

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7th Minute – Galaxy ar elooking for blood. Buddle nearly gets the ball open, but Gonzalez hits the ball out and LA has a corner. 

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5th Minute – Keller punches it out, the Galaxy retain possession but a foul near the half line gives the Rave Green the ball. 

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4th Minute – The effort goes out for a corner. 

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3rd Minute –Galaxy free kick. Ianni fouls Juninho. Donovan to take it. 

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2nd Minute – OFF THE POST!! Calamity in front of the Sounders net leads to a Stephens shot that goes off the far post and into the hands of Keller. Seattle dodged a bullet there. 

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1st Minute – We're underway!
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PRE-GAME: A healthy cloud of smoke is enveloping the field as the teams get on the field. The Sounders Peter Vagenas is rallying the troops as they get in a big circle and are now on the field. Their traveling fans the Emerald City Supporters are here to great them. Seattle needs this victory. 
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PRE-GAME: Great crowd here tonight as the players are about to step on the field. The crowd goes wild as Landon and Keller lead their teams out. If you picked this as your first MLS match to watch. You're in for a treat. Great crowd and plenty of stars on the field. As for my prediction, I'm going with 3-0 Los Angeles with Edson Buddle bagging a pair of goals. 

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PRE-GAME: As expected Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle are thrown back into circulation for the Galaxy ahead of this big fourth of July match up. We're looking for a potentially capacity crowd at the Home Depot Center with even the Grass Berm above the North Stand filling up. Should make for a great atmosphere.

Fret not Sounders fans because the Emerald City Supporters are in the house and will look to bring a bit of Qwest Field as they do battle with their fellow supporters groups, the Angel City Brigade, Riot Squad and the Galaxians.
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PRE-GAME: Here are the Line Ups:

SEATTLE SOUNDERS

————Noonan——–Montero—————


Zakuani———– Vagenas———Ljungberg

———————-Ianni————————

Gonzalez—-Marshall——-Parke——Riley

———————-Keller————————–

LOS ANGELES GALAXY

————Bowen———Buddle—————

Stephens—–Birchall——Juninho—-Donovan

Dunivant—-Berhalter——-Gonzalez——Franklin

———————-Ricketts————————–

Comments

  1. I see you still don’t understand how offsides works. Goal in the South Africa game was a great call. Its TWO, yes TWO opposing players between the player and the goal. Its just assumed the goalie will be the 2nd player, in this case he was not and the defender in the goal was only ONE player back. Good call.

    Reply
  2. I thought Zak’s goal was good. Forward was def onside when Montero played it clearly to Zak, the Forward held his run as Zak carried past the defense, & Berhalter ran away from that Forward to press Zak.

    That was a well earned goal. Berhalter should have closed him down.

    Reply
  3. Think about US v Slovenia.
    Game changing Ref starred in that one.

    How about South Africa’s first game? 1st goal called offiside with a defender standing in the net.

    How England’s disallowed goal?

    Reply
  4. Adam,
    Great stuff, but we (LA) have been doing the “LA” “Galaxy” return chant for many years, well before Seattle even had an MLS team. Just saying that it’s a ritual every game for us, not a rip off of a Seattle chant. But great commentary. Just got back from the game and it was an awesome atmosphere!

    Reply
  5. i don’t know man, i haven’t been anywhere near impressed with the officiating has been at this world cup. BTW…. watch any games Webb reffed at WC, they are very physical.

    Reply
  6. I don’t think the Seattle goal should have counted. The other Seattle player was offside, but he continued to run in the play, and drew a defender over to him.

    As I know the rules, that is still offside because he engaged the play.

    Reply
  7. Watching the World Cup, then contrasting back to MLS, shows how poor the officiating really is.

    The officials call it like a rugby game, and nothing is a foul. I can see how players complain about the “physicality.”

    Reply
  8. Seattle was in trouble in the 1st half it is far worst now. Not just because of the goals but they are not seeing the ball at all.

    Reply
  9. It’s cool that Seattle was willing to do their part and play the role of the bad guys on the 4th of July by wearing their green Algeria jerseys right after the US-Algeria rerun.

    Reply

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