In the 72nd minute in the final against Houston Dynamo, Landon Donovan received a ball from Robbie Keane and did not dissapoint, finishing to the opposite post.
Although Keane was undoubtedly the best player in the match for the Los Angeles Galaxy, there was not a more adequate ending to the season. Just like he did in the World Cup with a last-minute goal to guide the U.S. to the round of 16, Donovan was the hero.
With the goal, Donovan became the first player in the MLS with 20 postseason goals. This goes with a number of other important records for the US captain, including being the leading scorer for the national team (46) and leader in assists (47). In MLS, he is first place in postseason scoring and is in the top 10 in playoff assists, regular-season career goals and regular-season career assists.
For over a decade, Landon Donovan has been the protagonist of U.S. soccer. That's not only for his talent, but also because he's one of the few success stories of the U.S. youth development system, playing in the U-17, U-20 and U-23 teams.
After beginning his career in Germany, the return of Landon Donovan to the U.S. to save the MLS made him a hero once again in his home country and solidified his spot as the official representative of U.S. soccer.
Many believe that Donovan cannot aspire to be the best without success in Europe.
At times, Donovan is not the fastest or most-skilled on the field, but since his debut in 1999, he has been the most consistent, seeing soccer in the U.S. take off as his career takes off. That is why it is important that Donovan be successful in the U.S. and not in Europe.
With the L.A. Galaxy and the national team, Donovan is not is the hardest worker; he is the soul of the team. It's something that cannot be measured in numbers, but something that is seen every time Donovan scores a goal like he did in the final — with the perfect touch, at the perfect moment.
