This looked a lot like the L.A. Galaxy of 2011 – a team that went on to an MLS championship.
David Beckham creates from deep. They stifle with dependable, Omar Gonzalez-led defense. They get some good goalkeeping in the moments that matter.
And they pounce ruthlessly on any opposition booboos in the back.
The Galaxy made no mistake with their second-half chance when Dallas got caught in a moment of back line inattention. Bruce Arena’s team added a late one and that was that.
It all might have been different but for an early, controversial decision by referee Kevin Stott, who could easily have left the Galaxy playing a man down for about 75 minutes by showing Todd Dunivant a red card. Watch that sequence here on the complete NBC Sports Network highlights.
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And here’s what commanding center back Omar Gonzalez had to say about the win, which pushed the Galaxy a little closer toward Seattle and Real Salt Lake; Arena’s side would need to catch one of those teams, at least, to dodge the extra playoff game in Major League Soccer’s new post-season format.
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