2014 MLS Cup Final Live

L.A. Galaxy 2-1 New England Revolution

Scorers: Zardes (52'), Tierney (78'), Keane (111')

Galaxy XI
Penedo; DLG, Gonzalez, Leonardo, Rogers; Ishizaki, Sarvas, Juninho, Donovan; Keane, Zardes

Revs XI
Tierney, Goncalves (c), Soares, Farrell; Jones, Caldwell; Rowe, Nguyen, Bunbury; Davies

Watch: Top 10 Players of 2014 MLS Season

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The LA Galaxy and New England Revolution will meet on Sunday at the StubHub Center in Carson, California for the 2014 MLS Cup, the final match which will determine the 2014 Major League champions.

The hosts will be appearing in their ninth Cup final, winning four so far, while the Revs are winless in four tries. Both teams narrowly qualified for Sunday's showpiece after winning their conference semi-finals, and with little to separate them on paper, this year's final should be a close affair.

Landon Donovan's last match in the MLS has dominated headlines all week, as America's most decorated player in the sport's history will have a chance to give his career the kind of Hollywood-ending it deserves.

Date: Sunday, Dec. 7

Time: 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT

Venue: StubHub Center, Carson (Home of the Galaxy)

TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on ESPN and UniMas (for U.S. viewers), with mobile coverage available via WatchESPN.

Preview

To say people are excited about the 19th edition of the MLS Cup final would be an understatement—ESPN FC's Taylor Twellman and Goal's Ives Galarcep have been talking about the match all week:

The level of excitement is understandable, of course. The amount of storylines surrounding this match are vast, beginning with Donovan's farewell to the league he has done so much for.

As he told Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl, coach Bruce Arena felt as if the farewell presentations for the legendary midfielder were too much, and it took its toll on his team and the player himself:

I think we’ve dealt with it since then. I think that whole thing was a circus act, the last two or three weeks. It probably served more of other people’s interest than Landon’s. It became overwhelming for Landon as well. It was tough. It wasn’t going to be easy anyway, but it was tough. And it impacted his ability to finish out the regular season as well as I would have liked, or he would have liked perhaps. But it is what it is.

Things won't get any easier on Sunday, playing in front of a vocal home crowd who will come out in force to watch the 32-year-old lace up his boots one last time.

On the other side of the pitch will be the Revolution and Jermaine Jones, whose addition to the squad helped propel them to new heights. His wealth of experience and pure talent really shone during the play-offs, and Wahl wonders whether he can cap off his incredible season the right way:

For New England, Sunday's match represents a date with destiny. After four losses from four tries, it seems almost fitting the Revs have a chance to finally get over the hump against the league's most successful side, via ESPN.com's Arash Markazi:

The Revs have impressed with their explosive attack so far in the play-offs, scoring 11 goals in four matches. Lee Nguyen and Charlie Davies are in the form of their lives, and they'll look to continue that form against LA.

But the Galaxy's attacking players aren't exactly scrubs, either, with Marcelo Sarvas and Juninho playing in service of Donovan and league MVP Robbie Keane, per the club's official Twitter feed:

Simply outscoring LA won't do on Sunday—it will be up to the Revs to control the battle in the centre of the pitch and stay focused at the back for 90 minutes.

Jones' emergence as arguably the league's best protector has allowed Nguyen to do what he does best, which is create chances by using his superb vision. Against the Galaxy, things won't be any different.

The hosts have been here before. They'll have the hometown fans behind them for the full 90 minutes, and with a wealth of experience on the pitch, LA are prepared for virtually any situation.

Defensively, the Galaxy have the advantage, conceding just two goals throughout the play-offs, compared to New England's six. Combined with their experience and impressive firepower, the hosts have to be the (slight) favourites going into Sunday's final.

Final Prediction: La Galaxy 2-1 New England Revolution

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The Los Angeles Galaxy will be at the center of the American soccer universe on Sunday, as perhaps the most iconic player in U.S. soccer plays out his swan song in the 2014 MLS Cup final.

Landon Donovan—the all-time leading scorer in the history of both MLS and the U.S. national team—will walk out onto the pitch at StubHub Center in Los Angeles for the last time as a player. 

Having already played his last game for the Stars and Stripes, the MLS Cup final serves as an opportunity for the player whose career is most associated with the growth of soccer in the United States to go out on top with another MLS championship.

Standing in his way are the New England Revolution, an athletic, hardworking team spearheaded by insatiable midfielder Jermaine Jones—a fixture on the U.S. national team—and Lee Nguyen, an attacking midfielder wrapping up a career year with his club. 

The Revolution clinched a berth in the final with a 4-3 aggregate win over Thierry Henry and the New York Red Bulls. It is their first trip to the Cup final since 2007.

The Galaxy defeated the Supporters Shield-winning Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference finals on away goals (2-2 aggregate). It's the Galaxy's fourth trip to the league championship in the last six years.

Here is the television schedule and game info for the MLS Cup final, followed by some predictions for the contest.

2014 MLS Cup Final Info

Date: Sunday, Dec. 7

Time (ET): 3 p.m.

Location: StubHub Center, Carson, California

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Match Predictions

Robbie Keane Will Directly Contribute to a Goal

All eyes will be on Donovan, but it's the man up front who could very well have the biggest impact on the game. Keane, the indomitable Irishman, won the league's MVP award by posting 19 goals and 14 assists in 29 appearances. He credited his excellent play this season to his passion for the game.

"For me, I wake up every morning looking forward to practice. I wake up every Saturday and Sunday desperate and can't wait to play the game," said Keane, via the Irish Independent's Daniel McDonnell.

"It's not about the money. I don't care about the money. For me, it's about playing. I'd play for free."

ESPN analyst Alexi Lalas had this to say about his impact as a designated player:

He's the focal point of the attack, combining well with the likes of Donovan, Marcelo Savas and Gyasi Zardes, and he is a constant source of energy for his team. 

Keane is no stranger to big moments, having played for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and captaining the Irish national team. Look for him, not Donovan, to notch either a goal or an assist in this contest.

Jones Will Play Well—and Get Carded

Jones has had a huge impact on the Revolution. His experience, strength and two-way ability have transformed this team. In 14 appearances with New England, he's notched three goals, four assists and four yellow cards.

He's also averaging 2.3 tackles per game and 1.7 interceptions, per WhoScored.com. His experiments at center back with the U.S. national team will have sharpened his defensive instincts, so look for him to be disruptive early on.

He doesn't have a bad track record for discipline since joining the Revs in August, but Jones has earned a reputation for picking up cards with the U.S. national team—although ESPN's Paul Carr noted he turned that trend around recently:

Jones is a confident tackler, but look for him to get into trouble trying to contain the movement of Zardes, Keane and the rest, especially with all the adrenaline coursing through his veins due to the nature of the contest. A yellow card will dampen his impact on the defensive end and allow the Galaxy to create more scoring opportunities.

Galaxy Will Win the Cup

The Galaxy and coach Bruce Arena have been in these big games before, and the esteemed head coach's strategies should work well against a team that runs through the midfield. MLSSoccer.com's Matthew Doyle explains what most opposing team's attacks are reduced to against Los Angeles:

Depending upon who's closest to the play and the coach's overall mandate – 'force a bad, hopeful pass toward Omar' is the usual method these days, though occasionally we'll see 'Marcelo, be the second man in and win the ball at the stripe' – the rest of the team's movement unfolds naturally.

Indeed, center back Omar Gonzales is more than capable of stifling the Revolution's fluid offense, while Savas does an excellent job of tracking back from his midfield spot.

Jones and Nguyen are well supported by the likes of Teal Bunbury and Charlie Davies—who notched a brace in the Revs' second-leg match against the Red Bulls—in attack, but the Galaxy should be able to create more chances.

Working Donovan and Robbie Rogers down the flanks would be a wise strategy for Arena should Jones break up play in midfield, but expect second-year full-back Andrew Farrell to make life difficult for them.

"Farrell's been excellent since day one. I really enjoy how much he competes. That's what gets lost in it. He's a roll-up-your-sleeves kind of guy. He loves training, he loves practices, he loves games and you love seeing that from a player," said Revs head coach Jay Heaps, via Goal.com's Ives Galarcep.

The Revolution can't always count on a wonder strike from Nguyen, but they should be able to get on the scoresheet in this one. However, the Galaxy will create more chances and get the necessary goals, giving Donovan a fairytale ending to his career.

Prediction: Galaxy 2-1 Revolution

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After nine months of play in Major League Soccer, a champion will be crowned at the StubHub Center Sunday, when the LA Galaxy host the New England Revolution in the 2014 MLS Cup final. 

Both teams finished second in their respective conferences during the regular season. But throughout the postseason, they have both proved they are the best representatives for the Eastern and Western Conferences. 

This will be the third time the two franchises have met in the MLS Cup final. LA won both the 2002 and 2005 finals by a 1-0 score in extra time. 

To get you prepared for this championship clash, we have put together a comprehensive position-by-position breakdown to determine who has the better side heading into the final.

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The 2014 MLS Cup final will be played this Sunday. The LA Galaxy and New England Revolution will battle for the title at the StubHub Center, where the Revs were crushed 5-1 by the Galaxy in July.

However, the Revolution won eight of its final 10 matches in the regular season after Jermaine Jones joined the club in August, but the Galaxy is no slouch and will be a fearsome force against the Revs on Sunday.

Here are the key issues that will shape the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and the Revolution.

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Seattle Sounders striker Obafemi Martins missed out on the MLS MVP award to LA Galaxy's Robbie Keane, but he has found some consolation by taking Goal Of The Year honours. 

Over 50 percent of online voters selected Martins' lob against the San Jose Earthquakes back in May, as the season's best goal. 

Martins showed great vision to lob home from what appeared to be an impossible angle to score the only goal of the game. 

The face of San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch said it all!

[YouTube: Seattle Sounders FC]

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Plenty of the talk surrounding the 2014 MLS Cup Final has been about the brilliant attacking play of the LA Galaxy and New England Revolution during the postseason. 

We can gush over the play of Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones all we want, but when a champion is crowned Sunday at StubHub Center, the true star of the game will be a defender. 

During the terrific postseason runs put together by both sides, they have needed their respective defenses to put in star showings to earn a chance to hoist a trophy this season. 

LA's back four have been more visible during the postseason because they have conceded on just two occasions. Before the 2-1 defeat to Seattle in the second leg of the Western Conference Final, the Galaxy had not conceded in the playoffs. 

The LA defense succeeded thanks to a personnel change made by manager Bruce Arena before the 5-0 blowout win over Real Salt Lake in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal. 

In the big home victory, Arena utilized A.J. DeLaGarza at right-back instead of his normal center-back alignment next to Omar Gonzalez. The switch reaped its rewards in just 10 minutes, as DeLaGarza earned an assist on the first goal of the match. 

Not only did DeLaGarza shine moving forward alongside Stefan Ishizaki on the right wing, he also held RSL's Joao Plata to zero shots in an elimination game. 

Arena opted to start the error-prone Leonardo in place of DeLaGarza at center-back. And he delivered his second straight impressive showing next to Gonzalez following his outing against Seattle in the final game of the regular season. 

As hard as it to believe, DeLaGarza's shift to right-back hasn't been the best move by Arena this season. That move would be the change in position for Robbie Rogers, who now resides at left-back. 

Rogers has been a lockdown defender since his move to the back four, and he has become a dangerous asset moving forward in the postseason. With Rogers and DeLaGarza playing at a high level, Gonzalez's job has become easier, as he does not have to clean up a mess in the box every time an opponent attacks. 

Thanks to the defensive efforts of Rogers and DeLaGarza on the flanks, Gonzalez has had an easier time defending crosses. In the two-legged Western Conference Final, the Galaxy limited the Sounders to a success rate of under 20 percent on crosses in both games. 

The 17 percent accuracy in the first leg and 16 percent accuracy in the second leg were forced by tight marking from the full-backs. Because the full-backs forced poor crosses, Gonzalez and Leonardo were able to clear the ball out of the box easily. 

Keeping up the pressure on the wings will be key once again for the Galaxy with the dangerous left foot of Chris Tierney able to create a chance with one kick of the ball. 

Speaking of Tierney, his positioning on the pitch will be key for the Revolution to shut down LA's game plan in attack.

For the second leg of the Eastern Conference Final, Tierney was shifted up to the left wing, while Kevin Alston held down the fort at left-back. 

In the 2-2 draw at Gillette Stadium, Tierney and Alston combined to silence Lloyd Sam on the right wing. Without Sam playing a key role in attack, the Red Bulls were left to rely on Thierry Henry, who had a decent amount of success against Andrew Farrell on the left wing. 

The same will happen with Landon Donovan if the Revolution's left-sided defensive duo can keep Stefan Ishizaki quiet for long periods on the wing. 

If the focus is kept on Donovan, one of the two New England center-backs could be allowed to move over and help out Farrell on occasion. If that situation presents itself, the Revolution could open the door for Robbie Keane or Gyasi Zardes to find space. 

Luckily for the center-back combination of Jose Goncalves and A.J. Soares, they have Jones to rely on as defensive cover if one of them has to help out marking Donovan. It is worth noting Jones is now used as a center-back for the United States men's national team.

While we may focus on Jones' abilities as an attacker as the X-factor for the Revolution, his defensive abilities will be as important to the success of Jay Heaps' side. 

As much as we would like the MLS Cup Final to replicate the impressive attacking displays put on in the earlier rounds of the postseason, we are more likely to see extra time just like the 2002 and 2005 finals between the two sides. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

All statistics obtained from MLSSoccer.com. 

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Landon Donovan's final Major League Soccer season began badly.

Stumped on 134 career goals, which had him level with all-time leading goalscorer Jeff Cunningham, he failed to find the net in each of his first seven matches for Los Angeles Galaxy.

It was a dry spell that no doubt contributed to his omission from his country's World Cup squad and, given Jurgen Klinsmann's displeasure with his 2012 sabbatical, likely served to reinforce a decision the United States manager had long wanted to make.

Donovan was understandably devastated.

"I was looking forward to playing in Brazil," he remarked in a Facebook post. "I am very disappointed with today's decision."

The following Sunday—with a point to prove—the 32-year-old delivered one of the more memorable performances of an unforgettable career.

In the second minute against Philadelphia Union, his free-kick from distance was headed into goal by teammate Leonardo. Then, shortly after the restart, he stabbed Robbie Keane's cutback past goalkeeper Zac MacMath to finally surpass Cunningham.

With his hands in the air as he let out an almighty yell, he ran a few yards in celebration before collapsing to the pitch in relief.

It was, indeed, more relief than joy—and in the 81st minute, he bagged a second goal for good measure.

With Donovan producing, Robbie Keane putting in an MVP-calibre campaign and the defense posting the stingiest record in MLS, Galaxy lost just three matches between the end of May and the start of the play-offs.

And now, with just a single victory separating the California side from another MLS Cup, the most iconic American footballer in history is poised to go out on a high.

Not surprisingly, he has been absolutely vital to the Galaxy's run to Sunday's Final, which will be played at his home ground against the New England Revolution.

Following a nervy, scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, Donovan scored a hat-trick and assisted on a Robbie Keane goal as Los Angeles romped to a 5-0 victory at StubHub Center in the return match.

A player with a renowned flair for the dramatic, the forward—who scored against Mexico in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup and put the United States into the knockout stages of the 2010 tournament with a last-gasp goal against Algeria—then buckled down with a prudent, gutsy showing over two legs against Seattle Sounders.

He created nine goalscoring chances in the Western Conference Final, according to Squawka. And in the decisive match at CenturyLink Field, his pair of interceptions and dispossessions of Osvaldo Alonso and Marco Pappa helped the four-time Major League Soccer champions overcome an opponent that pushed them to the limit.

"Nobody's had to do it harder than we have," he commented after the match, per Goal.com's Keith Hickey. "To beat the best team during the regular season in a series like this, it's very difficult."

He added: "We're a team full of champions, and that's what separates us. We're very proud of that fact."

And Donovan, who will be playing his final professional match on Sunday, is a champion among champions.

Not only has he already won five domestic titles and four CONCACAF championships, but he has also, in a person, defined an entire generation of football in the United States.

He deserves the send-off he'll get at the 2014 MLS Cup, whether or not he lifts the trophy at the end of it.

Considering how the season began for him, the fact that he's in this position at all speaks to his natural ability, determination and will to overcome—qualities that will go some way in defining his legacy.

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Major League Soccer named Los Angeles Galaxy forward Robbie Keane its MVP for the 2014 season on Wednesday, ending a whirlwind campaign for the 34-year-old Irishman that ranks among the best of his storied career.

Keane scored 19 goals and had 14 assists, both highs for his MLS career, en route to leading the Galaxy to the MLS Cup. Los Angeles will play the New England Revolution on Sunday as it attempts to win its third Cup in the last four years.  

Keane, a longtime Irish national who spent most of his prime in the English Premier League, bested Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen and Seattle Sounders forward Obafemi Martins. New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips finished fourth. Keane's weighted point total (88.69) gave him a significant advantage over second-place Martins (63.22) and Nguyen (57.54), per the MLS release. 

MLS uses a three-tiered voting system, with media, club and player votes all playing a factor. Keane is the first Galaxy player to win the MVP since teammate Landon Donovan in 2009 and third overall (Carlos Ruiz, 2002). Donovan, Keane and defender Omar Gonzalez were one of three Galaxy members to be voted to this year's MLS Best XI, which honors the league's top 11 players.

A prolific scorer throughout his time in the Premier League, most notably with Tottenham, Keane has been rejuvenated since joining the Galaxy in 2011. Alongside Donovan, he has become one of the biggest names in MLS' premier franchise.

While mentioned among the league's best players since his arrival, this is Keane's first MLS MVP.

“We say this every year,” Keane told the team's official website in September. “We say MVP every year and I don’t win it, so I’d prefer not to even speak about it. In football, the most important thing is consistency. If you’re consistent then every year you continue to strive to do better than you did the year before, and every year since I’ve been here, I’ve done that. That’s all you can ask for.”

Keane will attempt to cap off his season for the ages Sunday against the Revolution. Even if the Galaxy are unable to pull it off, Donovan's retirement following the game sets up next season as one where Keane will undertake even more responsibility.

At the level he's still playing at his advanced age, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him hoisting a second MVP this time next year.

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David Beckham has been warned that he needs to make quick progress with his Miami-based MLS franchise by Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber.

Garber has voiced his opinion on the creation of Beckham's franchise after two plans for a prospective new stadium were rejected this year, per BBC Sport. 

The supremo has said time is not infinite for the former England captain, stating "this can't go on forever" in terms of the Miami franchise entering MLS.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged Beckham's ongoing effort is evident: "The Beckham group continues to work to try and find a stadium solution that they believe will put them in a position to succeed."

Sports journalist Simon Evans also highlighted Garber's opinion, with matters looking bleak for Beckham and his associates:

Garber confirmed that MLS is operating under huge losses, with franchises posting a combined loss of $100 million a year.

But the plan is to expand the competition to 20 teams in 2015—which will include Manchester City's venture with their New York City side, fronted by new signing Frank Lampard among others.

Beckham had previously planned to build a stadium on a city waterfront location, per BBC, only to have his applications turned down twice by the City of Miami, which deemed the building "inappropriate."

Beckham's new outfit cannot enter MLS unless it has a confirmed location for its home games.

The former midfielder's company, Beckham Miami United, has agreed to finance the $250 million project to create the stadium, but local pressures over similar deals have added to the complications in gaining approval.

Since last summer's failures with the stadium, Beckham has been urged to consider a ground share option, as reported by Matt Slater of BBC Sport.

Arthur Blank, who owns NFL team the Atlanta Falcons, has said Beckham needs to find a balance between trying to conform to the traditions of football while also respecting the model of American sports and its financing, per Slater: "It's a challenge Beckham has to overcome. It's important he finds a balance between the commercial side and the special, emotional atmosphere you want for a soccer stadium."

Beckham could choose to temporally house his club at the Miami Dolphins' Sun Life Stadium, or the more suitable Florida International University Stadium—which holds 20,000 fans.

It has always seemed that Beckham would become an owner of an MLS team after his dedication to the league and LA Galaxy. He has been a consistent champion for the American organisation's cause, and his Miami team would garner even more press for the competition.

The former Manchester United man must now decide if he is willing to compromise to get his Miami venture off the ground, or take a drastic decision about his long-term connections with MLS.

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