Last Sunday, the Los Angeles Galaxy clinched the Supporter's Shield with a 2-1 victory over Dallas. Also as a result of that match, the Galaxy head to Seattle to face Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday in the first leg of a two-game aggregate series between the No. 1 and No. 4 teams in the Western Conference. The second leg of the home and home series will be played back at Home Depot Center next Sunday.
The winner of this series will go on to the Western Conference Championship, which is played at the home of the game's higher seeded team during the second week of November. The winner of that match goes on to the MLS Cup in Toronoto, Sunday November 21. Toronto will also host the Supporter's Summit, where the Galaxy will receive their Supporter's Shield Trophy.
This is the third meeting between the two clubs in MLS play this season, with the Galaxy emerging victorious both times. The first match was a 4-0 drubbing in Seattle, with the second match played at Home Depot Center on July 4th. The July 4th match was the first back for Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle after the World Cup. Over the two games, Donovan had a goal and four assists. Edson Buddle, Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Juninho and Jovan Kirovski all scored goals for the Galaxy. The two teams also met in the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup, with eventual champion Seattle winning that game 2-0.
Since MLS began play in 1996, five teams have won the Supporter's Shield and the MLS Cup in the same season. Columbus was the last team to do so in 2008, with the Galaxy doing so in 2002. The other teams to pull of the feat are Kansas City in 2000, and DC United in 1999 and 1997. Those United teams were coached by current Galaxy coach Bruce Arena.