CARSON, Calif. - Clint Dempsey and Lamar Neagle scored second-half goals as Seattle Sounders FC (19-10-4, 61 points) came from behind to draw, 2-2, with the LA Galaxy (17-6-10, 61 points) on Sunday evening at the StubHub Center. Seattle and LA remain tied atop the Supporters' Shield standings at 61 points apiece and face each other in the regular-season finale on Saturday, October 25 (12:00 p.m. PST / NBC).
A win for either team next Saturday would clinch the Supporters' Shield. In the event of a draw, Seattle would claim the Shield due to holding the first tiebreaker with more total wins.
LA Galaxy began the scoring in the final moments of the first half when a Seattle mis-clearance sailed to the center of the box to Baggio Husidic, who struck a low shot into the bottom right corner of the net to make it 1-0.
The score was extended to 2-0 in the 50th minute on a goal from Marcelo Sarvas. Off a corner kick, the ball rattled around the area before being knocked out toward Husidic. Husidic gained possession of the ball near the top of the box and passed it to set up a scoring strike from Sarvas.
In the 69th minute, Dempsey pulled one back to make the score 2-1. DeAndre Yedlin took the ball down the right side and sent a cross into the middle of the box to Obafemi Martins, who directed a touch to the far side of the goal. Dempsey followed up with a left-footed finish at the near post for his 15th goal of the season.
Seattle tied the score at 2-2 in the 72nd minute. Attacking from the middle of the field, Martins drew in two defenders and sent a through ball into space on the right side. Neagle streaked down the flank and struck it passed Jaime Penedo for his career-high ninth goal of the season.
There were seven bookings during the game, including two from LA Galaxy's Omar Gonzalez, who was dismissed from the match in the 88th minute.
Dempsey's 15 goals are the second highest single-season total in club history, behind only Martins' 17 this season. With two assists Sunday, Martins now has 12 on the year, one shy of the club record.
Kickoff for Saturday's regular-season finale is set for noon PST on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Tickets are still available for this pivotal season-ending match at SoundersFC.com or by calling 877-MLS-GOAL.
Scoring Summary
LA - Baggio Husidic 45'+1
LA - Marcelo Sarvas (Baggio Husidic) 50'
SEA - Clint Dempsey (Obafemi Martins, DeAndre Yedlin) 69'
SEA - Lamar Neagle (Obafemi Martins) 72'
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei, DeAndre Yedlin, Chad Marshall, Zach Scott, Brad Evans (Marco Pappa 66'), Osvaldo Alonso, Gonzalo Pineda, Lamar Neagle (Chad Barrett 86'), Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins.
Substitutes Not Used: Marcus Hahnemann, Jalil Anibaba, Kenny Cooper, Djimi Traore, Micheal Azira.
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Obafemi Martins, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (2 tied at 2); FOULS: 18 (Lamar Neagle, 3); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 1 (Gonzalo Pineda, 1); SAVES: 0.
LA Galaxy - Jaime Penedo, A.J. DeLaGarza, Dan Gargan, Omar Gonzalez, Robbi Rogers, Baggio Husidic (Alan Gordon, 77'), Juninho, Landon Donovan, Marcelo Sarvas, Gyasi Zardes, Robbie Keane (Leonardo, 89').
Substitutes Not Used: Brian Rowe, Tommy Meyer, Jose Villarreal, Kenney Walker, Stefan Ishizaki.
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (3 tied at 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (2 tied at 1); FOULS: 13 (5 tied at 2); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 4 (Landon Donovan, 4); SAVES: 3 (Jamie Penedo, 3).
Misconduct Summary
LA - Robbie Rogers (caution) 22'
SEA - Zach Scott (caution) 25'
SEA - Gonzalo Pineda (caution) 27'
SEA - Clint Dempsey (caution) 36'
LA - Omar Gonzalez (caution) 43'
SEA - Obafemi Martins (caution) 57'
LA - Omar Gonzalez (ejection) 88'
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Referee's Assistants: George Gansner, Corey Rockwell
Fourth Official: Kevin Stott
Attendance: 27,244
Weather: Partly cloudy and 73 degrees
