Donovan hat-trick fires Galaxy through to final

MLS Playoffs | Playoffs

Nov 9, 2014 at 12.30am UK

Donovan (10', 54', 72'), Keane (20'), Sarvas (63')

FT(HT: 2-0)

Landon Donovan scores a hat-trick to fire the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 5-0 win over Real Salt Lake to earn their place in the MLS Western Conference final.

Published: November 10 2014 | 02:36

Last updated: November 10 2014 | 19:51

Landon Donovan scored a hat-trick to fire the Los Angeles Galaxy into the MLS Western Conference final courtesy of a thumping 5-0 win over Real Salt Lake.

Bruce Arena's side started the game on the front foot and they opened the scoring after just 11 minutes as Donovan guided a diving header past Nick Rimando.

Galaxy, who drew 0-0 with Real in the first leg, then took full control of the tie when Donovan turned provider to set up Robbie Keane for the simplest of finishes eight minutes later.

Salt Lake, who finished five points behind Galaxy in the regular season, looked out of their depth as the hosts spurned a number of chances to extend their lead in the first half.

First, Donovan coasted through the heart of Real's midfield before driving at goal and sending a shot well over, while Gyasi Zardes then fluffed his lines in a one-on-one with Rimando.

Arena's men continued on in the same vein after the break and found a third within 10 minutes of the restart, as Donovan latched on to Keane's through-ball before rounding Rimando and converting from an acute angle.

The Galaxy added their fourth goal of the evening when Keane knocked a through-ball into the box for Marcelo Sarvas, who capitalised on an error from Ned Grabavoy before he slotted the ball past Rimando.

Donovan completed the rout when he netted his hat-trick as he latched onto Keane's pinpoint ball over the top of the Salt Lake defence, and he applied a neat finish, knocking the ball past the on-rushing Rimando to seal his side's place in the Western Conference championship game.

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Eastern Conference

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Inter Miami Inter Miami	34	22	8	4	79	49	30	74
2	Columbus Crew	34	19	9	6	72	40	32	66
3	FC Cincinnati Cincinnati	34	18	5	11	58	48	10	59
4	Orlando City	34	15	7	12	59	50	9	52
5	Charlotte FC Charlotte FC	34	14	9	11	46	37	9	51
6	New York City FC NY City	34	14	8	12	54	49	5	50
7	New York Red Bulls NY Red Bulls	34	11	14	9	55	50	5	47
8	CF Montreal Montreal	34	11	10	13	48	64	-16	43
9	Atlanta United Atlanta	34	10	10	14	46	49	-3	40
10	DC United	34	10	10	14	52	70	-18	40
11	Philadelphia Union Philadelphia	34	9	10	15	62	55	7	37
12	Toronto	34	11	4	19	40	61	-21	37
13	Nashville SC Nashville	34	9	9	16	38	54	-16	36
14	New England Revolution New England	34	9	4	21	37	74	-37	31
15	Chicago Fire	34	7	9	18	40	62	-22	30

Western Conference

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Los Angeles FC Los Angeles	34	19	7	8	63	43	20	64
2	Los Angeles Galaxy LA Galaxy	34	19	7	8	69	50	19	64
3	Real Salt Lake Salt Lake	34	16	11	7	65	48	17	59
4	Seattle Sounders Seattle	34	16	9	9	51	35	16	57
5	Houston Dynamo Houston	34	15	9	10	47	39	8	54
6	Minnesota United Minnesota Utd	34	15	7	12	58	49	9	52
7	Colorado Rapids Colorado	34	15	5	14	61	60	1	50
8	Portland Timbers Portland	34	12	11	11	65	56	9	47
9	Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver	34	13	8	13	52	49	3	47
10	Austin FC Austin	34	11	9	14	39	48	-9	42
11	Dallas	34	11	8	15	54	56	-2	41
12	St Louis City	34	8	13	13	50	63	-13	37
13	Sporting Kansas City Kansas	34	8	7	19	51	66	-15	31
14	San Jose Earthquakes Earthquakes	34	6	3	25	41	78	-37	21