Buddle Wonder Strike Gives Galaxy 1-0 Win in First Leg of Conference Semifinal Series

LA Galaxy 1, Seattle Sounders FC 0
Western Conference Semifinal Series – Game One
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Qwest Field – Seattle, Wash.

Scoring Summary:
LA – Edson Buddle 1 (Omar Gonzalez 1) 38’

Misconduct Summary:
LA – Juninho (Yellow Card) 48’
SEA – Fredy Montero (Yellow Card) 49’
LA – Dema Kovalenko (Yellow Card) 65’
LA – Jovan Kirovski (Yellow Card) 82’
SEA – Blaise Nkufo (Yellow Card) 93+

Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Donovan Ricketts; Sean Franklin, A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez, Eddie Lewis (Gregg Berhalter 84’); Dema Kovalenko (Chris Birchall 70’), Juninho, David Beckham, Landon Donovan©; Mike Magee, Edson Buddle (Jovan Kirovski 73’).

Subs Not Used: Josh Saunders, Alex Cazumba, Chris Klein, Tristan Bowen.

Seattle Sounders FC: Kasey Keller©; James Riley, Jeff Parke (Tyrone Marshall 65’), Patrick Ianni, Leo Gonzalez; Osvaldo Alonso, Nathan Sturgis (Nate Jaqua 81’), Sanna Nyassi (Alvaro Fernandez 74’), Steve Zakuani; Fredy Montero, Blaise Nkufo.

Subs Not Used: Terry Boss, Zach Scott, Michael Fucito, Roger Levesque.

Notes:
• With the win, the Galaxy go into next weekend’s second and final leg of their Western Conference Semifinal Series with a 1-0 lead on aggregate. If the Galaxy win or draw that game, they will advance to the Western Conference Championship. If the Sounders win that game by one goal, the Series will go to 30 minutes of extra time and then penalties if necessary.
• Since MLS adopted the current playoff format in 2003, the Galaxy are now 3-1-1 all-time in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series. In the previous four trips to this round of the playoffs, they have advanced to the Conference Championship three times.
• The Galaxy are now 3-1-0 against the Sounders in all competitions this season, winning both regular season games as well as today’s match, while losing in the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup
• Bruce Arena made one change to the team that beat FC Dallas 2-1 in the regular season finale on October 24. Todd Dunivant, whose 27 regular season games played and started were the third most on the team, was not available because of a right hamstring strain. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Eddie Lewis.
• In addition to Dunivant, the Galaxy were also without Leonardo and Michael Stephens, who each missed the game with left knee pain. Yohance Marshall was also not available for selection while on duty with the Trinidad and Tobago National Team for the Digicel Caribbean Championships.
• Lewis was making just his fifth start in all competitions and his first in an MLS game since the regular season opener against New England on March 27.
• Juninho was the only member of the Galaxy’s starting XI to be making his postseason debut in the game. The other 10 starters were all with the club during the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs. Of the seven available substitutes, only Tristan Bowen and Alex Cazumba did not play in the postseason last year.
• The Sounders thought that they had scored just 32 seconds into the game, only for Steve Zakuani to be ruled offside.
• Edson Buddle gave the Galaxy the lead in the 39th minute with a long range volley that beat Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller. The goal was the first postseason goal of Buddle’s Galaxy career and his third of his postseason career.
• Buddle’s last postseason goal came in 2004 when he was a member of the Columbus Crew against the New England Revolution exactly six years ago.
• Omar Gonzalez was credited with the only assist on the goal, heading the ball into Buddle’s path.
• Gonzalez did not have an assist during the regular season, though he did score two goals, including one at Qwest Field in a 4-0 win over the Sounders.
• The Galaxy’s central midfield duo of Juninho and Dema Kovalenko, as well as Jovan Kirovski were each booked in the game. If they are also booked in the second leg of this series, they would be suspended for the Western Conference Championship were the Galaxy to advance.
• Fredy Montero and Blaise Nkufo were each booked for the Sounders.
• Donovan Ricketts made eight saves in the game, seven in the first half, setting a new postseason career-high, breaking his record of five that he set in the 2009 Western Conference Championship against Houston.
• In the regular season this year, Ricketts never made more than six saves.
• This was his third shutout in five postseason games.
• Including the regular season, the Galaxy are now 10-3-3 on the road this season.
• In those 16 games, the Galaxy have kept a clean sheet 10 times.
• This was the Galaxy’s final road game of the year. If they advance to the Western Conference Championship, they will host either Real Salt Lake or FC Dallas while
• Donovan Ricketts made three saves to earn his 18th win of the season.
• Two of the Sounders’ three substitutions on the night were former Galaxy players. Nathan Sturgis, who started in central midfield, also used to play for the Galaxy.
• The attendance for today’s game was 35,521.
• The Galaxy will host the second and final leg on the series on Sunday, November 7 at The Home Depot Center. That game kicks off at 6 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN.
• For more about today’s game, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.