On This Date: LA Galaxy Shuts Out Sounders Ahead of Fifth MLS Cup Title | OneFootball

A rarity in scheduling for Major League Soccer pitted the Los Angeles Galaxy against the Seattle Sounders FC on a Monday night in late July during the 2014 MLS regular season.

If you look at the stat sheet, it was a fairly even game between two MLS Western Conference foes. The LA Galaxy held a slight possession advantage (by 2%) while taking only four more shot attempts than the Sounders.

However, the Galaxy made good use of their 17 shots as opposed to Seattle's 13 attempts. Of the 29 total fouls in the contests, the Sounders had one less than the LA Galaxy. Both teams were issued a pair of yellow cards.

But on Monday, July 28th, 2014, the Los Angeles Galaxy won big on the road. Their 3-0 shutout helped propel them for the rest of the season. They eventually went on to win the 2014 MLS Cup Finals, as well.

How did the LA Galaxy win against Seattle?

The offense for the Galaxy got going early on in this match. Gyasi Zardes scored in the 8th minute of this one for the LA Galaxy. The captain, Landon Donovan, was credited with the assist.

Ten minutes later, the LA Galaxy's all-time leading scorer added a score of his own. Before the end of the first half, Donovan's teammate, Stefan Ishizaki, added the game's third and final goal. Marcelo Sarvas recorded the assist on that score.

Despite Sounders' goalkeeper Stefan Frei making seven saves in the game, he allowed three of the LA Galaxy's ten shots on target to get by him. Veteran defender Robbie Rogers and the rest of the LA Galaxy defense helped shut down Seattle's offense.

LA Galaxy keeper Jaime Penedo not only tallied four saves of his own that game but the Panama-born player registered a clean sheet in his efforts. He finished the 2014 MLS regular season with 11 clean sheets and 100 saves.

The Los Angeles Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders will meet for the first time this year on Sunday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. (PT) and 9:00 p.m. (CT). The match will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park, where the reigning MLS Cup champions have won all three of their regular-season games this season.