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LA Galaxy Ready for Showdown for the Supporters' Shield

October 17, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


CARSON, Calif. - LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena never has been a big fan of the MLS schedule makers, and he continued to voice his frustration at facing the Seattle Sounders in back-to-back contests starting Sunday at StubHub Center (5:30 p.m., ESPN2) and continuing next Saturday in the Pacific Northwest.

But his displeasure isn't as pointed as it usually has been. These showdowns, after all, will decide the Supporters' Shield, symbolic of the best overall record in MLS. The Galaxy (17-6-9, 60 points) and Seattle (19-10-3, 60 points) are tied entering these pivotal last two weeks of the regular season.

"I still think it should be a better-coordinated schedule," Arena said. "I think teams shouldn't end the season playing each other. But having said that, these matchups are fine. I think it's great.

"I still don't think it's appropriate, but I think this year it's fine. In another year, it could be where you end up playing four games in a row."

Galaxy captain Robbie Keane, third in MLS with 19 goals and tied for second (with New York's Thierry Henry and Portland's Diego Valeri) with 14 assists, agreed.

"Very, very strange," he said. "If you told me at the start of the season someone came up with this idea of playing these two games at the end of the season ... they'd been drinking the night before," he said.

"The timing for the people is good. The people who made this decision probably are happy now because of the way the situation is. But it is what it is and you get on with it."

The Galaxy and Sounders met on July 28 in Seattle, and the Galaxy earned an impressive 3-0 victory that featured first-half goals by Gyasi Zardes (eighth minute), Landon Donovan (18th minute) and Stefan Ishizaki (36th minute). The Sounders' defense suffered because of the absence of center back Chad Marshall, who was a late scratch after being slightly injured in an auto accident days before but is ready to go for the rematch.

Zardes, second on the club with 16 goals, said that result has no bearing on this weekend.

"That game is in the past. It was a long time ago," he said. "They're going to come out with a different team, more players are healthy. That was so long ago. They're going to be much stronger and better.

"We jumped right on them, as soon as the whistle blew. We have to have that (approach) every game, not just against Seattle."

Donovan, who will be playing his final regular season game at StubHub Center on Sunday as retirement looms, said that resounding win could help in at least one respect.

"It gives us confidence," he said. "We know they're going to look different then they did that day in Seattle. For whatever reason they were not at their best and we did very well. We expect they will be at their best. When they play at their best it will take our best to beat them. We'll have to be ready for it if we're going to win.

"I think it's just going to be a great series. There's not many people who would doubt these are the best two teams in the league. We've both proven it over the year."

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