Frisco, Texas—Say what you want about Steve Sampson,
but he now has an Open Cup Championship and an MLS Cup
and you most likely have neither. The oft-criticized
head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy got his team to
peak at the right time and squeaked past a shell-shocked
New England Revolution squad en route to a 1-0 overtime
victory at Pizza Hut Park to claim the club’s
second MLS Cup in the League’s ten year history.
Substitute Pando Ramirez hammered home a volley through
a crowded Revolution goalmouth at the end of the first
overtime to secure the win for the Galaxy and send the
Revolution home empty-handed. Galaxy forwards Landon
Donovan and Herculez Gomez gave the Revolution defense
fits all afternoon on the counterattack, but it was
the Galaxy back line that completely shut down an explosive
Revolution offense that featured League MVP and Golden
Boot winner Taylor Twellman.
“We knew the match-ups we needed to win,”
said Galaxy right back Chris Albright amidst a celebratory
Galaxy locker room. “Coming in, I thought we had
the bodies and athleticism to handle their horses, but
I didn’t think they had the same to handle ours
up front with Landon and Herculez. We had a lot of chances
and we were able to keep them out.”
While the veterans partied it up alongside the MLS Cup
in the champagne-soaked locker room, forward Herculez
Gomez slumped quietly in his locker and reflected on
the Galaxy’s improbable championship run. “I
just started thinking to myself and getting all emotional,”
he said as he paused for a moment to collect himself.
“It’s special. I just want to thank my mom
and dad for never letting me quit and my teammates who
made this season easy for me. I’m just glad to
be a small part of it.”
- Mark Lincir, Senior Editor
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