Seattle Sounders in their first ever MLS play-offs take just 30 seconds to get the ball in the net, but a confident call of offside by the Galaxy back-line proves correct...
On about 7 mins, Donovan draws a foul and Beckham takes the free-kick - the angle is very tight, but Beckham forces Casey Keller to make a good clawing save to keep the ball out of the net. In fact after just 10 minutes, Beckham has already taken three free-kicks... at this rate it is unlikely that the game will finish with 22 players still on the pitch!
23 minutes, sensational save by Ricketts from a point blank header keeps the score at 0-0, this coming just seconds after seemingly injuring his shoulder making a diving save. 25 minutes and a fourth David Beckham free-kick straight onto Buddles' head, headed wide...
On the half hour, the game has swung both ways, either team could score, Donovan shoots from distance, Keller parries the swerving shot - this is the second effort from Donovan within 30 seconds.
37 minutes and from 40 yards out Buddle swiftly turns and strikes in one move catching Keller off-balance 1-0 to LA.. The game continues apace, chances at both ends but Galaxy go into half-time up a goal.
The second half starts with Seattle pushing for the equaliser, the tackles are still flying in and the referee sees fit to book one from each side within the first five minutes.
Pressure mounts on Seattle to make an impact on this two leg play-off, but as time ticks away more bookings come, but for all the action there are few telling efforts on goal. The Galaxy will be happy with the one goal lead away from home, but a second away goal would make Seattles' job that much harder in the second leg in California. More so because for the play-offs, away goals do not carry any extra significance.
A telling feature of this game is how often both Donovan and Beckham can be found in defensive positions, and although the Galaxy defence are keeping Seattle at bay, they by no means look impenetrable.
Seattle spurn a good chance on 83 minutes, the ball across the box, nobody to convert. 84 minutes and a well-worked forward Galaxy move results in a shot from Juninho - narrowly wide.. 86 minutes, loose ball in the galaxy defence, defensive error - shot smothered by Donovan Ricketts. The officials see fit to add a huge 5 minutes of injury time, so desperate are Seattle that Nkufo kicks the ball out of Ricketts hands wasting a valuable minute of time and earning himself a booking into the bargain. As the five minutes tick away Bruce Arena questions the ref's time-keeping, but finally he blows up and the game is over. The Galaxy take the first leg 1-0..
