In general, the game was exciting and definitely lived up to its hype. Los Angeles entered the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference; Real Salt Lake, on the other hand, entered the playoffs as the last seed, grabbing the last wild card slot. This led Los Angeles to be a heavy favorite in the finale, with such stars as David Beckham and Landon Donovan.
Throughout the game, it was easy to be indecisive as to which team would win the match since it was such a close match, which carried into the penalty kicks. In the end, Real Salt Lake proved their superiority as they grabbed their first ever MLS Cup championship since entering the league five years ago.
The game was a classic David and Goliath matchup in which Real Salt Lake, the underdog, finished the game, and the season, on top. The game was an enjoyable experience as both teams remained in a heated battle throughout.
One of the LA players who missed a PK, Landon Donovan, was criticized for his failed attempt as he had not missed one in a while and is considered one of the team's leaders. However, this criticism seems harsh because everyone misses a penalty kick in their career; Donovan's miss just happened to occur at the highest stage of American soccer.
It's clearly a disappointing finish for Donovan and the Galaxy, but that happens in soccer; the favored team doesn't always win and that's what makes it so exciting. The players of both teams will have a long break to reflect on the game, and the season in general, as they move towards the next season beginning in March of 2010.
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