Sounders done; Galaxy advance to MLS West finals
CARSON, Calif. – Edson Buddle and Omar Gonzalez scored off David Beckham’s free kicks in an 8-minute span of the first half to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference semifinal Sunday night.
Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts made three saves for the Galaxy, who will play host to FC Dallas after winning the two-game series against Seattle 3 goals to 1.
Steve Zakuani scored for Seattle Sounders FC to break a playoff goalless streak of 386 minutes over two years.
Buddle scored his second goal of the playoffs in the 19th minute. He escaped defender Tyrone Marshall’s grasp to head Beckham’s corner kick inside the left post from eight yards.
Gonzalez made it 2-0 in the 27th minute. After Beckham took a 32-yard free kick, Gonzalez dived to head the ball inside the left post from 7 yards.
Zakuani ended the scoring with a 7-yard shot in the 86th minute.
Ricketts kept Sounders FC from scoring in the 32nd minute by deflecting Osvaldo Alonzo’s 29-yard line drive with both palms past Seattle’s Zakuani and Blaise Nkufo.
Then in the 67th minute, a sliding Ricketts used his chest to block Zakuani’s point-blank shot at the edge of the 6-yard goalkeeper’s crease.
Galaxy 2, Sounders 1
| Seattle FC | 0 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Los Angeles | 2 | 0 | — | 2 |
First half—1, Los Angeles, Buddle 19 (Beckham), 19:00. 2, Los Angeles, Gonzalez 3 (Beckham), 27:00. Second half—3, Seattle FC, Zakuani 11 (Jaqua), 86:00. Goalies—Seattle FC, Kasey Keller; Los Angeles, Donovan Ricketts.