The LA Galaxy mercilessly demolished Real Salt Lake 5-0 on Sunday to advance to the Western Conference Finals in what could be described as one of the most comprehensive victories in league history.
But where does Sunday’s stunning showing at StubHub Center rank among the all-time great MLS Playoff performances?
Below are the five of best playoff performances in league history:
5. D.C. UNITED 4 TAMPA BAY MUTINY 1 (10/10/1996)
Salvadoran forward Raul Diaz Arce carved out a place in the MLS record books by scoring the first playoff hat-trick in league history in United’s 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny in the first leg of the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals.
Leading the charge for Bruce Arena’s high-flying D.C. United side, Diaz Arce mesmerized the Tampa Bay defense, putting United ahead in the 36th minute. The Mutiny pulled level thanks to Roy Lassiter just three minutes before half time, but once the second half began it was all United thanks to the brilliant Salvadoran. Diaz Arce scored twice in rapid succession between the 58th and 60th minutes to allow United to pull ahead comfortably before a Steve Rammel tally completed D.C.’s rout.
United finished off the Mutiny in the second leg with a 2-1 victory in Florida—Diaz Arce scored the winner— before famously defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 in the inaugural MLS Cup.
4. LA GALAXY 6 DALLAS BURN 1 (10/8/1998)
The Los Angeles Galaxy became the first team in league history to score six goals in an MLS Cup Playoffs match when they overpowered the Dallas Burn 6-1 in the first leg of their 1998 Western Conference Semifinal series.
The Western Conference regular season champions made quick work of the Burn as Danny Pena gave the Galaxy the lead after 10 minutes. Los Angeles assured themselves a win by halftime as they rattled off five more goals from Carlos Hermosillo—who scored twice—, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Welton, and a second from Pena. Dallas added a goal of their own from Dante Washington in the second half, but the goal failed to spark the dramatic comeback the Burn needed to get back into the match.
Steeled by their massive win, the Galaxy took care of business in the second match, defeating Dallas 3-2 off a Clint Mathis game-winner to advance to the Western Conference Finals. LA did not advance further, however, as they fell to the eventual MLS Cup champion Chicago Fire.
3. CHICAGO FIRE 6 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 0 (9/22/2000)
The Chicago Fire earned the largest margin of victory in MLS Cup Playoffs history when they soundly defeated the New England Revolution in Game 3 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals.
After both teams won at home in the opening two games, the series returned to Chicago’s Soldier Field for a do-or-die match that quickly turned in the Fire’s favor. An Ante Razov goal in the fifth minute put Chicago ahead early, but the Fire’s lead quickly ballooned to three after Hristo Stoichkov scored in the 14th and again in the 17th minute to put the home side comfortably ahead. Chicago wasn’t done however as right before half time Piotr Nowak tallied to send the Fire into the locker room up by four.
New England desperately tried to claw back into the match in the second half, but Chicago added two more. Razov scored his second in the 65th minute before Sam George secured the Revolution’s place in the league history books with a goal 10 minutes later.
2. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 5 LA GALAXY 2 (11/09/2003)
Recalled by many as the most dramatic playoff comeback in league history, the San Jose Earthquakes bounced the Galaxy from postseason by erasing an early two-goal deficit to win 5-2 in Extra Time thanks to an overtime-winner from Rodrigo Faria.
Following a 2-0 victory at home in the first leg, the Galaxy looked to have one foot in the Conference Finals when they took a two-goal advantage on the Earthquakes after just 13 minutes in the second leg at Spartan Stadium. Almost immediately after Pete Vagenas extended LA’s aggregate advantage to four, the comeback began as the Earthquakes found goals from Jeff Agoos in the 21st minute and 21-year-old Landon Donovan in the 35th minute.
San Jose did not relent in the second stanza as Jamil Walker beat Kevin Hartman five minutes into the half. LA were minutes away from advancing before Chris Roner tallied just before full time to pull the aggregate level. All tied on aggregate, the Earthquakes completed their dramatic comeback six minutes into extra time with a thrilling strike from Faria that ended the Galaxy’s postseason dreams in legendary fashion.
1. LA GALAXY 5 REAL SALT LAKE 0 (11/09/2014)
Arguably no MLS Cup Playoffs performance was finer than the clinic that the LA Galaxy put on when they trounced Real Salt Lake 5-0 in their Western Conference Semifinal second leg on Sunday.
Landon Donovan scored his first career playoff hat-trick—and only the third in league history—and also added an assist as the Galaxy dominated Salt lake from start to finish. Playing in what could have been his last professional game; Donovan put forth a showing for the ages as he became the only player in MLS history to have recorded five multi-goal games in MLS Cup Playoff matches. But it wasn’t exclusively the Landon Donovan show as Robbie Keane (one goal, three assists) and Marcelo Sarvas (one goal, one assist) augmented the former U.S. international’s efforts.
With Salt Lake dispatched, it will be up to the Galaxy to build on this performance and do what only one team on the list—the 2003 Earthquakes— accomplished: win the MLS Cup.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
