The game in 100 words (or less): Both sides were missing their leading goalscorer, and it ended up being a goalkeeper who stole the show. The Galaxy were without Robbie Keane as the team’s captain is out with a quad injury, and the Sounders had to play without Clint Dempsey, who was nursing a hamstring issue. Los Angeles went ahead in the first and Seattle relentlessly tried to find an equalizer, but Jaime Penedo put in a superb performance in goal, making 10 saves in the win. With the three points, Los Angeles moves off the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
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Three moments that mattered
21' -- Jaime Penedo keeps it scoreless -- Jaime Penedo came up huge for the Galaxy in the first half, making a handful of saves to keep the Sounders off the board. Lamar Neagle had already been stoned by Penedo off a header early in the match, and in the 21st minute he was stopped again. Neagle beat his defender and put a solid header on net, only to find the hands of a diving Penedo.
23' -- Alan Gordon puts LA ahead -- Juninho played a floating free kick into the box, finding Omar Gonzalez at the far post. Gonzalez headed back across goal where Alan Gordon lost his mark and put his own header past Stefan Frei.
53' -- Penedo remains a brick wall -- The Penedo show continued with a point-blank save on Andy Rose. It was Lamar Neagle again who started the play, whipping in a cross from the right flank. Rose ran onto the cross for what looked like a sure goal, but Penedo was a magnet and made an unbelievable save. It was a case of right place, right time for the Panamanian keeper, but none of his ten saves were bigger.
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Man of the match: Jaime Penedo -- The Panamanian international was lights out for Los Angeles in net, making save after save as the Sounders pressed. Seattle easily could have scored three or four, but Penedo stood strong and made some highlight reel stops.
LINEUPS
LA Galaxy: Penedo, Gargan (Meyer 85'), Gonzalez, DeLaGarza, Rogers, Ishizaki, Garcia, Husidic (Villarreal 83'), Juninho, Zardes, Gordon
Goal: Gordon (23')
Seattle Sounders: Frei, Mears, Evans, Marshall, Remick, Roldan (Kovar 81'), Rose, Alonso, Pappa (Mansaray 89'), Neagle (Barrett 74'), Martins