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SEATTLE -- The disappointment was clear on the face of Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts after Sunday's loss to Real Salt Lake in the MLS Cup Final.
Ricketts, who had been brilliant in goal for the Galaxy this season, suffered a fractured right hand in the 48th minute in a collision with Real Salt Lake's Robbie Findley and Galaxy teammate Omar Gonzalez. Ricketts said Gonzalez mistakenly "mashed my hand" on the play, although Ricketts managed to stay in the game for another 18 minutes before he was replaced by reserve goalkeeper Josh Saunders.
Ricketts had plenty of praise for his backup, who actually made saves on penalty-kick attempts by Kyle Beckerman and Andy Williams before Robbie Russell won it.
"Josh is a good goalkeeper and he did well," Ricketts said. "It just wasn't our night.
"Sometimes there are positives you can take out of disappointments. This was a good season; we didn't win, but hopefully we can shake it off and try again next year."
BECKHAM TOUGHS IT OUT: Galaxy midfielder David Beckham had hoped he would be able to gut through the ankle injury he sustained in last week's Western Conference final against Houston. That he did, but not without considerable pain.
"I had three injections in my ankle and it wore off after about 15 minutes," said Beckham."
The Englishman's influence varied throughout the game. He assisted on Mike Magee's opener in the 41st minute, but aside from a flurry of crosses midway through the second half, he was largely quiet. He did step up and convert the Galaxy's first shootout attempt, but could only watch as his side ultimately fell short.
"I wouldn't say it was tougher to lose on penalties," said Beckham. "It's Russian roulette. It's not a nice way to go out, but it's the way it is in soccer."
FIRST YEAR BLUES: It had been a memorable season for Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez, who earned Rookie of the Year honors and helped solidify a defense that led MLS in goals allowed a year ago, but it ended on a most disappointing note.
Gonzalez suffered from cramps and had to be replaced in the 89th minute by fellow rookie A.J. DeLaGarza. Gonzalez said he hasn't had such problems "for years," and thought the reason for what happened on Sunday had to do with a strained groin he suffered in training the day the team left for Seattle.
"I think the rest of my body was overcompensating for it," he said. "I was getting treatment nonstop and I tried to do the best I could. It was just so sore."
Gonzalez said he knew he was in trouble when he barely could move as regulation play wound down.
"The last run that I had I couldn't even run," he said. "Both of my legs were just stuck in place. I was just trying to make it to the ball and I couldn't. It was tough watching from the sidelines."
WHERE WAS DEMA?: L.A. midfielder Dema Kovalenko was expected to play a significant role in Sunday's MLS Cup Final, with his defensive work against RSL playmaker Javier Morales expected to be one of the pivotal matchups.
But when the starting lineups were announced, Kovalenko was conspicuous by his absence.
"Dema came down with ... a viral infection this week," said manager Bruce Arena. "He was pretty ill. He started to respond [Saturday] where he started feeling better, but to start him today would have been a real issue. He wouldn't have had a full tank, and we had to make a decision."
Arena added that he hoped to use Kovalenko in the second half, but when the team was forced to burn a substitution on goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts shortly after RSL equalized, the thinking on his substitutes changed.
"We didn't want to make a change for defensive purposes," said Arena. "We were a little bit handcuffed there."
Kovalenko ended up stuck on the bench. Chris Klein was brought in as an attacking substitute, and an injury to Omar Gonzalez in the 89th minute resulted in A.J. DeLaGarza taking the field.
The injuries proved telling. With RSL controlling the tempo for most of the second half and overtime, Kovalenko would have been a useful addition to help break the opponents' rhythm.
DIFFICULT ENDING: Don't count the Galaxy's Chris Birchall or Chris Klein as fans of deciding games with penalty kicks.
"It's great when you win. It's the best feeling in the world," Birchall said. "But when you lose ... I've been on the losing side a couple of times now, and it's the worst feeling.
"It's unjust because you played so well all season to get here, and you lose on penalties. When you win it's the best feeling. You can't really argue with that."
Klein said he'll put up with them until a better idea comes along.
"What are you going to do?" he asked. "You can't play forever. You have to decide it at some point until they come up with a better way to decide it.
"I won't take anything away from Salt Lake. They earned the championship."
Larry Morgan and Jeff Carlisle are contributors to MLSnet.com.
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news...._mls&fext=.jsp
Ricketts, who had been brilliant in goal for the Galaxy this season, suffered a fractured right hand in the 48th minute in a collision with Real Salt Lake's Robbie Findley and Galaxy teammate Omar Gonzalez. Ricketts said Gonzalez mistakenly "mashed my hand" on the play, although Ricketts managed to stay in the game for another 18 minutes before he was replaced by reserve goalkeeper Josh Saunders.
Ricketts had plenty of praise for his backup, who actually made saves on penalty-kick attempts by Kyle Beckerman and Andy Williams before Robbie Russell won it.
"Josh is a good goalkeeper and he did well," Ricketts said. "It just wasn't our night.
"Sometimes there are positives you can take out of disappointments. This was a good season; we didn't win, but hopefully we can shake it off and try again next year."
BECKHAM TOUGHS IT OUT: Galaxy midfielder David Beckham had hoped he would be able to gut through the ankle injury he sustained in last week's Western Conference final against Houston. That he did, but not without considerable pain.
"I had three injections in my ankle and it wore off after about 15 minutes," said Beckham."
The Englishman's influence varied throughout the game. He assisted on Mike Magee's opener in the 41st minute, but aside from a flurry of crosses midway through the second half, he was largely quiet. He did step up and convert the Galaxy's first shootout attempt, but could only watch as his side ultimately fell short.
"I wouldn't say it was tougher to lose on penalties," said Beckham. "It's Russian roulette. It's not a nice way to go out, but it's the way it is in soccer."
FIRST YEAR BLUES: It had been a memorable season for Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez, who earned Rookie of the Year honors and helped solidify a defense that led MLS in goals allowed a year ago, but it ended on a most disappointing note.
Gonzalez suffered from cramps and had to be replaced in the 89th minute by fellow rookie A.J. DeLaGarza. Gonzalez said he hasn't had such problems "for years," and thought the reason for what happened on Sunday had to do with a strained groin he suffered in training the day the team left for Seattle.
"I think the rest of my body was overcompensating for it," he said. "I was getting treatment nonstop and I tried to do the best I could. It was just so sore."
Gonzalez said he knew he was in trouble when he barely could move as regulation play wound down.
"The last run that I had I couldn't even run," he said. "Both of my legs were just stuck in place. I was just trying to make it to the ball and I couldn't. It was tough watching from the sidelines."
WHERE WAS DEMA?: L.A. midfielder Dema Kovalenko was expected to play a significant role in Sunday's MLS Cup Final, with his defensive work against RSL playmaker Javier Morales expected to be one of the pivotal matchups.
But when the starting lineups were announced, Kovalenko was conspicuous by his absence.
"Dema came down with ... a viral infection this week," said manager Bruce Arena. "He was pretty ill. He started to respond [Saturday] where he started feeling better, but to start him today would have been a real issue. He wouldn't have had a full tank, and we had to make a decision."
Arena added that he hoped to use Kovalenko in the second half, but when the team was forced to burn a substitution on goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts shortly after RSL equalized, the thinking on his substitutes changed.
"We didn't want to make a change for defensive purposes," said Arena. "We were a little bit handcuffed there."
Kovalenko ended up stuck on the bench. Chris Klein was brought in as an attacking substitute, and an injury to Omar Gonzalez in the 89th minute resulted in A.J. DeLaGarza taking the field.
The injuries proved telling. With RSL controlling the tempo for most of the second half and overtime, Kovalenko would have been a useful addition to help break the opponents' rhythm.
DIFFICULT ENDING: Don't count the Galaxy's Chris Birchall or Chris Klein as fans of deciding games with penalty kicks.
"It's great when you win. It's the best feeling in the world," Birchall said. "But when you lose ... I've been on the losing side a couple of times now, and it's the worst feeling.
"It's unjust because you played so well all season to get here, and you lose on penalties. When you win it's the best feeling. You can't really argue with that."
Klein said he'll put up with them until a better idea comes along.
"What are you going to do?" he asked. "You can't play forever. You have to decide it at some point until they come up with a better way to decide it.
"I won't take anything away from Salt Lake. They earned the championship."
Larry Morgan and Jeff Carlisle are contributors to MLSnet.com.
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news...._mls&fext=.jsp
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