Major League Soccer Playoffs, Conference Finals, Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas: Hoops Heading To First Ever MLS Cup Final

One of MLS's orginal teams will win its first championship next Sunday in Toronto.

FC Dallas secured their spot with a somewhat shocking 3-0 victory over the Supporters' Shield winning Los Angeles Galaxy. The Hoops got goals from David Ferreira, George John and Marvin Chavez. Ferreira assisted on Chavez's goal, giving him a hand in five of the six goals Dallas scored during the playoffs.

At least as big as Ferreira's contribution was that of goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. After taking a significant pay cut at the start of the season and being discarded by his former team, Hartman led FC Dallas to its first ever MLS Cup final by recording six saves and registering his 15th career playoff shutout. Hartman was especially sharp in the first half when he almost single-handedly kept Dallas in the match.

The Galaxy controlled the pace of the match throughout, registering 18 shots, but never breaking through.

FC Dallas had no such problems. Ferreira scored on Dallas' first shot on goal in the 26th minute and John scored on their second in the 54th minute. Chavez put the match away in the 73rd minute, deftly collecting a Ferreira pass to beat the offside trap.

The MLS Cup finals appearance is the first for the Dallas franchise, making them the last of the remaining original teams to play for a title. On Sunday, they'll play the Colorado Rapids, who have not made the finals since 1997 and have never won a MLS Cup.

Marvin Chavez has just about ended any hopes the Galaxy had of winning the third ever MLS Cup.

The FC Dallas midfielder took a pass from MVP finalist David Ferreira and beat Donovan Ricketts to give the Hoops a 3-0 lead in the 74th minute.

Ferreira was able to find Chavez who beat an offside trap wide open just inside the penalty area. Chavez was 1 v. 1 with Ricketts, who really had no chance to make the save.

The Galaxy have controlled much of the run of play, but have had nothing to show for it and have surrendered far too many clean looks to FC Dallas.

The MLS Cup finals appearance would be the first in Dallas' history. They are the last of the original MLS teams still in existence to make the championship game.

The assist gives Ferreira a hand in all but one of FC Dallas' six playoff goals. He has four assists and one goal, including the first score tonight.

Don Garber probably just threw up in his mouth a little.

George John was left unmarked on the far post and Brek Shea found him for the wide open goal, giving FC Dallas a 2-0 lead in the 56th minute.

The Galaxy continue to control the match, but the Kevin Hartman has done his best to make life difficult on MLS head honchos. Hartman, you may remember, was a poster child during last offseason's collective bargaining debate as he was left in limbo when the Kansas City Wizards chose not to re-sign the veteran goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, FC Dallas has made the most of their opportunities. When John scored, the Hoops had just two shots on goals — both of them resulting in goals.

The goal from John was his firs this season and just his second in his two-year MLS career.

If FC Dallas can hold on for the victory, they would play the Colorado Rapids in the MLS Cup final. The Rapids and FC Dallas are two of the lowest attended team in MLS, and neither has a Designated Player.

FC Dallas has gotten this far on the backs of David Ferreira and Kevin Hartman, so should it be any surprise they are currently relying on the same duo to be up at halftime?

Hartman has been holding it down in goal, making at least three impressive saves during a first half that the Galaxy have basically controlled.

Ferreira, meanwhile, has made sure those efforts have not gone unrewarded. The MVP finalist has scored the game's only goal, beating supposed Goalkeeper of the Year Donovan Ricketts on one of FC Dallas' few scoring opportunities.

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena will have some tough choices at halftime, the most significant being what to do with Dema Kovalenko. The midfielder is already in the book with a yellow card and is lucky to still be playing after a particularly reckless foul on Ferreira.

FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman's early gamble has paid off, so far. Atiba Harris was given a rare start at forward, allowing Hyndman to bring veteran Jeff Cunningham off the bench in the second half.

MVP voting has already occurred, but David Ferreira continues to make a strong case.

FC Dallas' MVP finalist scored a 26th minute goal to give his team the early 1-0 lead against the run of play, giving Don Garber heart palpitations in the process.

The Galaxy have had most of the scoring opportunities in this match, forcing FC Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman into several sprawling saves. Juniho had an unmarked attempt from about 15 yards, David Beckham had a free kick get through and Landon Donovan even had a chance in the 31st minute.

Schellas Hyndman raised some eyebrows with his lineup choice, forgoing a tradition forward and instead going with what is essentially a six-man midfield. Atiba Harris, normally a wide midfielder, got the start as the forward.

The winner of this match will face the Colorado Rapids next weekend in Toronto.

FC Dallas has apparently chose to go without a forward and started Atiba Harris up top.

The Galaxy, meanwhile, have gone with the same lineup they used against the Sounders in the first round.

Galaxy starting lineup: Donovan Ricketts, Ryan Franklin, AJ DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzales, Eddie Lewis, David Beckham, Juninho, Dema Kovalenko, Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle, Mike Magee

FC Dallas starting lineup: Kevin Hartman, Jackson, George John, Ugo Ihemelu, Jair Benitez, Martin Chavez, Dax McCarty, David Ferreira, Dylan Hernandez, Brek Shea, Atiba Harris

We may as well start calling it the Rocky Mountain Conference.

The Colorado Rapids beat the San Jose Earthquakes to earn a spot in the MLS Cup, marking the second straight year a team that plays for the Rocky Mountain Cup has represented the East in the final.

Kosuke Kimura scored the game's only goal in the 44th minute when his cross attempt to Omar Cummings missed everyone including Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch and scooted inside the far post. It was just one of several impressive plays Kimura made on the night. He had several dangerous crosses into the box, played masterful defense and effectively neutralized Bobby Convey on the left wing.

Although the Earthquakes applied considerable pressure in the second half, they rarely tested Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Coach Frank Yallop made several moves, none of which proved effective. He moved Convey from left mid to left back; substitutes Arturo Alvarez and Eduardo were brought in to bolster the attack; and Chris Wondolowski moved all over the field. None of it was able to produce anything particularly cohesive.

The Rapids made sure Busch had his hands full on the other end. After a relatively light first half, Busch had to make several saves in the final 45 minutes. He stopped a Pablo Mastroeni strike from about 20 yards out and came up big on a couple Cummings chances.

When Busch wasn't up for the challenge, other events conspired to keep the match close.

In the 65th, Cummings was able to beat Busch on a 1-v-1, but hit the crossbar with his shot. In the 70th minute, Drew Moor's header was cleared off the line by Geovanni.

The victory marks the second time the Rapids have advanced to the MLS Cup final. The last time they made it this far was in 1997.

For the Earthquakes, this was the farthest they had advanced in the playoffs since 2003 when they won the second of their two MLS Cups.

The Rapids will now await the winner of Sunday's Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Dallas.

San Jose Earthquakes have been much more aggressive in second half, giving the Rapids less space offensively. San Jose has also made an aggressive substitution.

Arturo Alvarez was brought on for Chris Leitch in the 57th minute, moving Bobby to left back and Tim Ward moving over to right back. Essentially, that gives the Earthquakes an extra offensive player on the pitch.

The result has been several good scoring opportunities, but still nothing to show for it.

Meanwhile, the Rapids have not possessed the ball much, but have nearly doubled their lead at least twice. Pablo Mastroeni was given a free shot from about 20 yards out, forcing Jon Busch into a diving save. Omar Cummings had an even better chance, breaking free on a throughball, beating Busch and then hitting his shot off the cross bar in the 64th minute. The Rapids came close a third time when Geovanni needed to clear a ball off the line in the 71st minute.

Khari Stephenson came on for Geovanni in the 72nd minute.

Julien Baudet comes on for Anthony Wallace in the 79th minute.

Eduardo comes on for Sam Cronin in the 79th.

Kosuke Kimura has given the Rapids the early lead in the 44th minute.

It originally looked as if Omar Cummings had gotten a touch on the ball, but the official ruling currently gives the goal to Kimura.

Kimura had probably been the game's best player for the half. He has had several dangerous crosses and was instrumental in breaking up on of the Earthquakes best chances.

The first 35 minutes were pretty wide open despite the lack of a score.

Scott Sealy nearly caught Matt PIckens off his line around the 15th minute, but his shot from about 40 yards out sailed high. In the 26th minute, Sealy nearly connected with Ryan Johnson just outside the six-yard box, but  was able to knock the ball away before it became truly dangerous.

The Rapids best chance before Cummings goal came around the 20th minute when Omar Cummings was sent in on a nice throughball, but Quakes keeper Jon Busch was able to get to the ball before Cummings was and broke up the play. In the 30th minute, Conor Casey nearly snuck a header inside the far post, but it went just wide.

The temperature is already below freezing although snow does not look like a very strong possibility.