The Los Angeles Galaxy hosted FC Dallas on an overcast Sunday afternoon at StubHub Center. The final score for Sunday’s match ended in a 0-0 draw. Both soccer clubs have clinched a playoff berth but with this game FC Dallas won the Supporter Shield with a draw. Both teams seemed to have been playing really well however, both of the team’s defenses were just extremely tough to get past. We saw a few saves from the Galaxy’s Brian Rowe as well as some major blocks from Jelle Van Damme. FC Dallas had a big save when Emmanuel Boateng’s shot was blocked. This could have been a momentum shift for the Galaxy but Dallas held it together.
FC Dallas was coming into this game as the number one seed in the playoffs with a chance to win the Supporters Shield if they could hold the Galaxy to a draw. Dallas’ hard work and great defense was the reason they were able to keep a dangerous Galaxy team at bay. When head coach Óscar Pareja was asked “Did you think this game would be a sure thing for the Supporters Shield” He responded gracefully with “No, We know that the Galaxy is a great club and nothing is promised when you play them.” The humbleness of this head coach shows why FC Dallas was able to keep the Galaxy to a draw. They did not expect to win but instead acted as if this was another big game for them and it showed. Although this match resulted in a scoreless game, FC Dallas’s defense was fun to watch. You could see the frustration on the Galaxy when they were struggling to find open opportunities. Dallas came into this game looking for either a win or at the very least a draw and they succeed in this.
With a win or a loss, it did not matter very much for the Galaxy as they are already in the playoffs but that doesn’t mean every game doesn’t count. The Galaxy were looking to upset FC Dallas’ dreams of obtaining the Supporters Shield. Though the Galaxy did not upset the tough FC Dallas team they did hold Dallas to a no score game. Dallas was not playing a park the bus style match today either. They attacked the goal with a total of 13 shots and only three of those shots were blocked. The Galaxy utilized their star player Van Damme and his exceptional defensive skills to help keep this game scoreless.
Landon Donovan played the full 90 minutes today and had a few great opportunities to score. He was either just off from the goal or the play was defended perfectly by FC Dallas. Donovan said after the game that he feels a lot better on the field and is ready to start working towards the championship match. Jelle Van Damme received the defensive player of the year award after the game. When asked about his award he stated that it is an honor for not only him but for the fans and the Galaxy as a whole.
FC Dallas had the Supporters Shield on the line today and they were able to power through and take it back home with them. The Galaxy fought hard but now they can focus their time and energy on beating the next team and advancing to the semifinals. Both of these teams are looking at a tough post season run. FC Dallas gets a bye and awaits the winner of the match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake. That match is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26 at 7:30PM at StubHub Center. Congratulations to FC Dallas for winning the Supporters Shield and the Galaxy for advancing into the postseason.
