US FOOTBALL ICON Landon Donovan isn’t saying goodbye to Major League Soccer just yet, while Ireland’s Robbie Keane is in similarly excellent form.
Donovan, playing in his final season, scored three goals and played a role in another as the Los Angeles Galaxy thumped Real Salt Lake 5-0 on Sunday to advance to the Western Conference finals in the MLS Cup playoffs.
The teams had played to a goalless draw in the first leg of the conference semi-final tie in Salt Lake City.
Donovan had spoken before the contest about the possibility that a defeat would send him into retirement from club football — after his international career effectively ended this year when Jurgen Klinsmann left him off the US squad for the World Cup in Brazil.
But his legion of US fans will have another chance to watch Donovan after the Galaxy quickly took control, with goals from Donovan and Keane in the first 20 minutes.
Donovan added another goal in the 54th to make it 3-0, before Marcelo Sarvas scored in the 63rd and Donovan completed his hat trick in the 72nd to send the Galaxy to the conference finals for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
The Galaxy will face either Seattle or FC Dallas for a place in the MLS Cup final. The Sounders and Dallas drew 1-1 in the first leg of their tie, and will play the second leg on Monday.
Donovan got things going after 10 minutes when he arrived unmarked at the back post to head home a ball chipped by A.J. DeLaGarza.
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The Galaxy had Salt Lake under pressure for much of the first half, and Keane made it 2-0 when he slid in to redirect the ball into the net from close range after Donovan played it across the face of the goal.
The Galaxy stretched their lead in the 54th, when Keane collected the ball in midfield and played it down the left to Donovan, who got in behind the defense and rounded Nick Rimando before slotting the ball into the empty net.
Sarvas scored in the 63rd after being set up by Keane, and the Irishman delivered the key pass in the 72nd as Donovan completed the first hat trick in the MLS playoffs since 1999.
The Eastern Conference finals lineup was completed earlier Sunday when the New England Revolution defeated the Columbus Crew 3-1 to advance with a 7-3 aggregate.
The Revolution will face Red Bull New York, who sealed their spot on Saturday despite a 2-1 loss to DC United in Washington, still emerging from their conference semi-final tie with a 3-2 aggregate victory.
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Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
