What You Need to Know About the MLS Cup Between the New England Revolution and LA Galaxy

It comes down to one game between one of American soccers best teams and hottest teams.

For the fifth time in their history, the New England Revolution are in the MLS Cup and a familiar foe awaits them in the LA Galaxy. The two teams have squared off twice for the league title with LA winning in both 2002 and 2005.

The teams will square off in Carson, CA at the StubHub Center, the home of the Galaxy at 3 p.m.

To help you get ready for the match, here is what you need to know:

TV and Radio Information

English TV: ESPN will provide coverage of the cup final. Play-by-play commentator Adrian Healey will be joined by former New England Revolution striker turned analysis Taylor Twellman/ Monica Gonzalez will be the sideline reporter. Before the match, at the half, and during the postgame, Max Bretos will be joined by analysts Alexi Lalas Kasey Keller.

Postgame Show: Comcast SportsNet will have postgame coverage at final whistle with Dalen Cuff, Brad Feldman, Paul Mariner, Kyle Martino, Khano Smith, and Kevin Walsh.

English Radio: WZLX 100.7 FM will carry the match on the radio with Revolution Brad Feldman calling the match and Paul Marier providing the color commentating.

MLS Cup Format

The MLS Cup is a one game final. If there is a draw after 90 minutes of play, two 15-minute periods will be played to determine a winner. If the game remains tied after extra time, penalty kicks will be used to decide the winner.

How Did They Get Here?

New England Revolution:

• No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference
• Regular season: 17-13-4, 55 pts.
• Defeated the Columbus Crew 7-3 on aggregate in the Eastern Conference Semifinals
• Defeated the New York Red Bulls 4-3 on aggregate in the Eastern Conference Championship

LA Galaxy:

• No. 2 seed in the Western Conference
• Regular Season: 17-7-10, 61 pts.
• Defeated Real Salt Lake 5-0 on aggregate in the Western Conference Semifinals
• Tied Seattle Sounders FC 2-2 on aggregate in the Western Conference Championship – won the series on away goals

Storylines

Ignore the Past

The Revolution and Galaxy met one during the 2014 campaign, a 5-1 win for the Galaxy at the StubHub Center on July 16

LA got on the board in the 10th minute through Robbie Keane and doubled their lead eight minutes later when Zardes scored his first.

The Revs pulled back within a goal with a Lee Nguyen penalty kick in the 38th minute only for the Galaxy to add three second half goals to complete the win. Zardes scored his second of the game just three minutes into the second half before Stefan Ishizaki and Keane added late goals for the home side.

Both teams finished the game with just 10 men as each side was shown a first half red card. New England went down to 10 men in the 29th minute when A.J. Soares, who started in central midfield, was shown a straight red card for a tackle on LA’s Juninho near midfield.

However, LA’s man advantage lasted only eight minutes as defender Dan Gargan was shown a straight red for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity in the 36th minute when he took down Teal Bunbury in the box as the forward broke in for a one-on-one with the keeper. The loss snapped New England’s two-game winning streak over the Galaxy, dating back to 2012, and was the club’s sixth consecutive loss.

Don’t put too much stock into the win though, the Revolution come into this game with a revamped lineup, formation, and one of the best American players in Jermaine Jones.

Donovan’s Final Match

Former U.S. International and LA Galaxy captain Landon Donovan will play his final game of professional soccer Sunday afternoon

Donovan has scored 152 goals over his career, including 142 in MLS competition. As a member of the U.S. Men’s National team, he scored 57 goals, the most for any American male in international competition.

Who is the Real MVP?

On Thursday, Robbie Keane was named the MLS MVP, provoking a conversation on whether New England’s Lee Nguyen was snubbed.

While Keane’s 19 goals and 14 assists are impressive, many Revs fans and commentators wondered what Nguyen would have to do to win the award. The Revolution midfielder scored 18 goals, the most in MLS history for a pure midfielder with six game winners.

Can the Revs Finally Win One?

Four times the Revolution have been to the cup before this year and four times they were a goal or penalty kick short from winning the title. If the Revolution win, it would be their first major trophy in franchise history.

The Best Team vs. The Hottest Team

Arguably the best team in MLS will go up against the league’s hottest team on Sunday. LA ended the regular season with a 17-7-10 record, the second best in the league while the Revolution ended the season with on a 9-1-1 run, the best finish of the season.

Keys to the Game

There’s More Than Keane and Donovan

It may be easy to look at the top stars of the Galaxy but the Revs need to keep an eye on the rest of the team that feeds the balls to the two LA stars.

Gyasi Zardes, and midfielder Juninho lead an offense that requires a balanced defense to stop.

“If you focus on Landon (Donovan) someone else is going to beat you. If you focus on Keane, Donovan is going to beat you. You have to make sure you have a balance defense, it’s a group shooting down a group,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said on Wednesday.

Defending responsibility will fall on a back line that features fullbacks Chris Tierney, Andrew Farrell and centerbacks A.J. Soares and Jose Goncalves.

Jones Needs to Push Forward

Since the arrival of Jermaine Jones in August, the Revolution have practically become a new team. With only one defeat since the arrival of the U.S. International, Jones’ ability to push the offense forward as a defensive midfielder and create scoring opportunities for the Revs have turned the team and the season around.

Can Davies Continue His Run of Quality?

After years of struggles, the Revolution striker is finally to look like the player we saw before a car accident in 2009. With two big goals in leg two of the Eastern Conference Championship, Davies has once again shown an ability to score goals that the Revs have needed from the striker position.

“I think Charlie has proven during the playoffs that he can lead us on the field and score timely goals but I think its more what he does off the field, engaging with the guys as a locker room character,” Heaps said.

A Davies at top form on Sunday could be a game changer and a deicer for who wins the cup.

Counter!

For the Revs, it may a quality over quantity situation. With a chance that LA will dominate possession, the question for New England will be what they can do when they gain possession. With speed up top, the Revolution may have to use the fast break counter to get ahead of the Galaxy.

They’re the Underdogs

There is no doubt that the Revs are going into the game as the underdogs. With the game taking place on the road at LA and the Galaxy coming into the game with consistent play all season long, it will take a full team effort for the Revs to win.

It’s not impossible but a quick attack and strong defense could shut down LA and bring the MLS Cup to New England.

Photo Credit: New England Revolution