Earthquakes close season with loss

Own goal, Donovan strike have San Jose end year with 30 points

But an own goal in the first half and a Landon Donovan goal in the second led to a 2-0 win for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the season finale for both teams in front of a sold-out crowd of 27,000.

San Jose (7-14-9) finished its second season at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with 30 points. That is three fewer than last year, their first back in league.

With the win, the Galaxy (12-6-12, 48 points) clinched the top spot in the regular-season Western Conference standings with the win for the first time in seven years.

It is also the Galaxy's first postseason berth in four years, but perhaps more importantly, it clinched home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The Galaxy took a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute when Donovan lobbed a ball over Cannon, but with the help of an Earthquakes defender.

Bobby Burling tried to block what appeared to be a Donovan centered pass into the area from right to left by attempting to poke at the ball with his right foot. The ball instead deflected off Burling's foot, re-directing its trajectory, and goalkeeper Joe Cannon could only watch as the ball floated over his head into the back of the net out of the reach of his extended left arm for an own goal.

San Jose tried to answer shortly after Donovan's goal. Earthquakes defender Brandon McDonald sent a point-blank header straight to Ricketts off a free kick in the 28th minute.

McDonald was looking for the near post from the left side but Ricketts was quick to react and slap the ball away from danger.

The Earthquakes didn't have another real threat before going into halftime trailing 1-0.

It was the opposite for the Galaxy. Coach Bruce Arena's squad created a handful of dangerous opportunities early in the match.

Galaxy defender Sean Franklin authored the first attack with a blast just outside the goalkeeper's hitting a San Jose defender. McDonald used his body to block Franklin's shot.

David Beckham had a couple of shots of his own in the first half. He sent a signature free kick from about 28 yards out, bending it inches wide of Cannon's right post.

The English midfielder sent another blast from about 30 yards out after dribbling across the defense from left to right sending his shot whistling above the crossbar.

Donovan then put the match out of reach in the 77th minute with his second goal against San Jose this season.

Donovan finished a touch and go play that included a series of passes from goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to David Beckham to Chris Klein back to Donovan.

In alone on goal, the U.S. international sent a rolling shot between the legs of a charging Cannon at the top of the area. Donovan's shot rolled to the right post and deflected into the back of the net.

The Earthquakes were nearly caught again in the 83rd minute when Donovan nearly completed a hat trick, but he sent a diving header straight to Cannon off a curling centered pass from Beckham.

Ivan Orozco is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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