The Galaxy have played Chivas Guadalajara four times previously to this match - and never lost. They'd won three, tied one.
Landon Donovan, as usual, was doing twice the number of interviews, in Spanish and English, so he was the final player to leave the mixed zone. A group of kids cheered for his attention, calling out "Donovan!". He waved in their direction. Half of them were wearing Chivas jerseys.
Beckham and Frank Yallop had a quick talk with the ref after the game about a foul they thought should have been called on Pete Vagenas just before the Chivas goal.
"That's the way it goes," Landon's reaction after I pointed out that the players who leave the Galaxy seem to find their scoring touch.
Chivas Guadalajara is the first Mexican team to win a game in the SuperLiga. They still need a result in the final game to advance.
"We don't want their teams to advance," Landon said. "We'd like to be all MLS teams in the finals."
It's not going to happen - with Chivas' win, at least one Mexican team is this group is guaranteed to advance. In fact - the reverse could be true instead - there is a mathematical chance FC Dallas and the Galaxy could be out of the tourney, depending on Tuesday's results. (correction is in the comments)
Is it possible for both mexican teams to advance? pachuca is in 4th in the group with 1 right? so their max pts is 4. If LA wins or ties, they have 6 or 4. If LA loses, Dallas has 5. So either way Pachuca can't overtake them. Unless I am missing a step.
ReplyDeleteIf LA ties, and Pachuca win, they are tied at 4 pts, and it comes down to goal differential - or so a bunch of us thought last night. Goal differential would mean that Pachuca could score enough goals in the win to advance (assuming Chivas scores enough as well. Let's say Pachuca wins 4-3, and the Galaxy and Dallas play a scoreless draw. Pachuca would be +1 in goal differential, and Chivas would be even, while the Galaxy would be even with Chivas, and then the second tie-breaker would be head-to-head, where the Galaxy would fall to Chivas.
ReplyDeleteBut it turns out you're right, because I checked the official rules. Both Mexican teams can't advance, because the FIRST tie-breaker is head to head, and that would advance the Galaxy if they tie and Pachuca wins.
They way that Galaxy has played they don't deserve to represent the MLS in the Finals. They have playe horrible, including the 1st game. LA is a 2 man team with Donovan and Beck (whenever he plays) they have to be a weak talent wise as the Real Salt Lake team.
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