MLS Cup 2012
Event | MLS Cup | ||||||
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Date | December 1, 2012 | ||||||
Venue | The Home Depot Center, Carson, California, US | ||||||
Man of the Match | Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy) | ||||||
Referee | Silviu Petrescu | ||||||
Attendance | 30,510 | ||||||
Weather | Overcast, 64 °F (18 °C) | ||||||
MLS Cup 2012, the 17th edition of
For the first time in MLS Cup history, the championship was not held at a predetermined neutral site. Instead, the match venue was held in the home stadium of the finalist with the best regular season record, in this case
As MLS Cup finalists, both Houston and Los Angeles qualified for the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League (champion in Pot A, runner-up in Pot B).
Road to the final
Los Angeles Galaxy | Round | Houston Dynamo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season |
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Opponent | Result | Legs | Playoffs | Opponent | Result | Legs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2–1 | 2–1 home | Knockout Round | Chicago Fire
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2–1 | 2–1 away | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
San Jose Earthquakes | 3–2 | 0–1 home; 3–1 away | Conf. Semifinals | Sporting Kansas City | 2–1 | 2–0 home; 0–1 away | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seattle Sounders FC | 4–2 | 3–0 home; 1–2 away | Conference Finals | D.C. United | 4–2 | 3–1 home; 1–1 away |
Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy entered the 2012 season as the defending MLS Cup champions, as well as the Supporters Shield titleholders, becoming the first team since 2008 to achieve a "league double" (having the best regular season record, and winning the championship). Due to preseason injuries, the Galaxy started their 2012 campaign off on a rough note, at point being at the bottom of the Western Conference table. Their 3–8–2 record to begin the season caused many critics to wonder if the club was even capable of qualifying for the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs.[6]
Midway through the regular season however, Los Angeles went on a resurgence, that saw the club climb as high as third place in the Western Conference. Many point to the return of center-back
The regular season ended with the Galaxy finishing fourth place in the West, and eighth place overall, their poorest regular season performance since 2008. Despite this, the club embarked on a remarkable run in the MLS Cup Playoffs, having to play a record five matches before reaching the MLS Cup final. Despite this, the club lost two matches during the run, one being at home. The Galaxy's playoff campaign began a month before MLS Cup, on November 1, hosting the fifth-placed Vancouver Whitecaps FC at the Home Depot Center, in the wildcard round. Many pundits and media outlets expected Los Angeles to be heavy favorites in this round, mostly due to Los Angeles' strong form, in stark contrast to Vancouver's weak form (the Whitecaps had only won a single match in their last 11).
Despite the predictions, Los Angeles fell behind Vancouver very early on, due to a third-minute goal from the Whitecaps'
"I feel like you’re assuming [Gonzalez] is really dominant. I feel like you’re wanting me to assume these things or something. I’m not comfortable assuming these things."
-San Jose striker Steven Lenhart speaking about Omar Gonzalez, November 3, 2012 [7]
As winners of the wildcard round, the Galaxy played their California Clasico rivals, San Jose Earthquakes, in the conference semifinals. San Jose, coming off a remarkable turnaround season, earned the Supporters Shield and amassed 68 points during the regular season. Some drama between the two sides sparked throughout the American soccer niche, when Galaxy defender Gonzalez described the Earthquakes' style as "embarrassing",[8] while San Jose's Steven Lenhart, who had been creating a cult-following in the league,[9][10][11] described being "unintimidated" by Gonzalez.[7] The two-leg, aggregate series began on November 4, with Los Angeles hosting San Jose. The closely knitted affair looked likely to head into a draw, until a free kick was awarded to San Jose in the third minute of second half stoppage time. San Jose, known throughout the season for their late-match heroics, notched a bizarre free kick thanks to Víctor Bernárdez.[12] The ball seeped through the wall that Los Angeles had assembled and awkwardly caught Saunders off guard, who failed to stop the shot from going in the goal. The result gave San Jose a 1–0 aggregate lead headed into the second leg.[13]
On November 7, Los Angeles and San Jose dueled in the second round of the conference semifinals, where Galaxy striker, Robbie Keane quickly gave the Galaxy the upper hand in the series, notching two goals in the 21st and 34th minutes of play. Los Angeles' Magee added an insurance goal that would eventually be the series winner in the 39th minute. For the remainder of the first half and a majority of the second half, Los Angeles comfortably held off San Jose, until the 'Quakes earned a free kick in the 81st minute. There, a chip from Alan Gordon gave the Quakes a late goal, resulting in Los Angeles' series lead being trimmed to a goal. For the final 10 minutes, plus added time, San Jose dominated possession but failed to find an equalizer, giving the Galaxy a fourth-straight berth into the Western Conference championship.
With the final leg being played at San Jose's
Houston Dynamo
Houston entered the 2012 as the finalists for MLS Cup 2011, but failed to perform as well during the regular season in 2012 as they did the previous year. Barely qualifying for the playoffs, Houston finished one point ahead of Columbus Crew for the fifth and final playoff berth, although their spot in the playoffs was claimed with a week left in the regular season.
On October 31, Houston Dynamo played the
Five days after the knockout round match against Chicago, Houston's newly opened
The second leg of the Conference semifinals proved to be a hostile environment for Houston, as Kansas City dominated much of the ball possession, but failed to tally a goal in the first half of play. Kansas City would eventually score, and slash the series lead in half with a diving header from Seth Sinovic in the 64th minute. From there, it looked likely that Kansas City would eventually find the series-tying goal. Despite that onslaught of pressure from Kansas City, the Dynamo were able to hold off wave, upon wave, of attack, and even managed to create some counterattacking moments, although they were unsuccessful in doing so. Nevertheless, the match ended in a 1–0 loss to Houston, but with Houston winning the series, upsetting Kansas City 2–1 on aggregate.
In the Conference Finals, Houston Dynamo took on D.C. United, who had been returning to the playoffs for the first time in five years. The first leg of the series proved to be extremely controversial, with some saying that a decision by referee Ricardo Salazar decided the whole series. Played on November 11, United went up early off of a through ball from United's Marcelo Saragosa to rookie midfielder, Nick DeLeon who slotted a shot underneath Houston's Tally Hall to give United the 1–0 lead in the 27th minute. United maintained the 1–0 lead through the remainder of the first half. In the second half, United's Saragosa had a breakaway shot on goal, but was taken down by Houston's André Hainault. Protesting for a red card, due to a take down and denying a goal-scoring opportunity, center official Salazar did not card Hainault, nor call a foul. Subsequently, the Professional Referee's Association made a press release saying that it should have been an ejection. However, Houston eventually went on to score three unanswered goals, including one by Hainault. The decision was heavily criticized, though United's Ben Olsen said his club should have done a better job closing out the match regardless.
From there, United's attack looked more menacing for the final 10 minutes of the match, but neither side was able to capitalize on the wide-open play, as the match ended in a 1–1 draw, and Houston clinched their second consecutive Eastern Conference postseason championship, and berth into the MLS Cup final and CONCACAF Champions League.
Match details
Houston Dynamo | ||
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Gonzalez 60' Donovan 65' (pen.) Keane 90+4' (pen.) |
Report | Carr 44' |
Los Angeles Galaxy
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Houston Dynamo
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Statistics
Los Angeles Galaxy | Houston Dynamo | |
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Goals scored | 3 | 1 |
Total shots | 9 | 11 |
Shots on target | 4 | 6 |
Saves | 2 | 4 |
Corner kicks | 3 | 9 |
Fouls committed | 17 | 13 |
Offsides | 3 | 2 |
Yellow cards | 1 | 2 |
Red cards | 0 | 0 |
See also
References
- ^ "MLS reveals 2012 schedule, including MLS Cup in December". MLSSoccer.com. January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "David Beckham goes out a champion as L.A. Galaxy beats Houston Dynamo". Washington Post. December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ "LA Galaxy 3–1 Houston Dynamo: MLS Cup final – as it happened". Guardian UK. December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ "Galaxy win second straight MLS Cup". ESPN. December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Beckham ends MLS career on high note with second title in a row". USA Today. December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Lovell, Darrell (May 26, 2012). "Recap: Galaxy unable to hold early lead in 2–1 loss to Dynamo". Major League Soccer. LAGalaxy.com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ a b Lepper, Geoff (November 4, 2012). "Lenhart, Gonzalez rekindle heightened rivalry in West semis". MLSSoccer.com.
- ^ Davis, Steve (October 22, 2012). "Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez: the way San Jose plays is "embarrassing"". NBC Sports – Pro Soccer Talk. NBCSports.com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Lepper, Geoff (May 24, 2012). ""Comeback kings" San Jose dig deep once again". Major League Soccer. MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "The MLS Grinder: Why you hate Steven Lenhart (and why I don't)". NoShortCorners.com.
- ^ Enger, Chris (May 8, 2012). "Steven Lenhart: The Punk Kid Next Door". SoccerNewsDay.com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Rigg, Zac Lee (November 4, 2012). "LA Galaxy 0–1 San Jose Earthquakes: Late Bernardez free kick stuns defending champs". Goal.com North America. Goal.com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Almond, Elliott (November 4, 2012). "San Jose Earthquakes beat Los Angeles Galaxy 1–0 in first leg of Western Conference semifinals". Silicon Valley Mercury News. MercuryNews.com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "2012 MLS Cup Playoffs". MLSsoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Match statistics". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2012.