Galaxy to share MLS title with fans

The Galaxy will celebrate its second consecutive MLS Cup victory with its fans at the Home Depot Center on Monday night. The entire team, including captain Landon Donovan and midfielder David Beckham, is expected to participate in the event, which is set to begin at 7 p.m. in the tennis stadium.

Admission and parking are free. Gates are to open at 6 p.m. Championship mementos will be on sale, including squares of turf from the Home Depot Center field.

Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo made the Galaxy just the third team in MLS history to win consecutive titles, joining D.C. United and Houston. The D.C. United team, which won the first two MLS Cups ever played, was coached by Bruce Arena, who directed the Galaxy to its last two titles, giving him a record four championships overall.

For the Galaxy, the title was the fourth in franchise history, matching D.C. United’s total.

But the game was historic for other reasons as well. Beckham, the former captain of the English national team, was playing in his final MLS game, while Donovan, arguably the best U.S. player of all time, remains uncertain about his future and may not return next season.

Fittingly, it was Donovan who scored the goal that put the Galaxy ahead to stay, converting a penalty kick midway through the second half. For Donovan, who has played in a record six MLS Cup finals and has won a record-tying five of them, the goal was his fifth in a championship game and his 22nd in the postseason. Both totals are also records.

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