LA, Salt Lake poised for exciting final

The rivalry between the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake is set for a new chapter when they meet in the Western Conference final on Sunday.

With both teams stacked with midfield talent, the encounter promises to live up to its billing as a meeting between two of Major League Soccer’s most talented teams this season.

Despite missing influential playmaker Javier Morales for most of the season after he suffered a fractured ankle in May, Salt Lake managed to post the third-best record in MLS and – with Morales back – scrape past Seattle Sounders FC in the team’s first playoff series.

Now Morales and his counterpart Kyle Beckerman, one of the league’s most dynamic pairings, come up against arguably the only team that can boast as talented a midfield core.

With David Beckham looking set to play following a back injury sustained in the Galaxy’s 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls on Thursday night and Juninho returning from suspension, Bruce Arena can field his strongest central midfield pairing, which sets up an intriguing match-up in the centre of the park.

In spite of the threats posed by Beckham, who was second in the league with 15 assists, and Juninho, who has tallied four goals, Beckerman insisted that Real would have to focus on their own game in order to counter those threats.

“I think if we get in our rhythm and we get what we do well down, then we take advantage of their good players – their good players then have to play defense,” Beckerman said.

Beckerman missed the final three games of the season following a headbutt and red card in the team’s clash with the Chicago Fire, but has made his presence felt in Real Salt Lake’s playoff run so far.

On the other side of the field, the Galaxy will have their own pair of fresh legs as Juninho will return after serving a suspension for his role in the fracas that followed the team’s 1-0 win in New York in the first leg of the series.

Asked about what his returning midfield partner would bring to the game, Beckham said: “I think the consistency that he showed all season, I think he’s been exceptional this year.”

Beckham also praised the 22-year-old Brazilian’s development over the year, his second MLS season since joining the Galaxy on loan from Sao Paulo.

“He’s grown up as a player and as a person and I’ve always said about Brazilian players, they know how to play the game and know how to play it well,” Beckham added.

The former England star said he expects a tough battle in the midfield against the likes of Beckerman and Morales.

“[I have] a lot of respect for Morales coming back from the injury that he had,” Beckham said. “I was happy for him, because when you’re a player and you get a bad injury like that, you have your doubts about coming back. I was happy to see him back and happy to see him playing the soccer that he can play.”

Morales had tallied two goals and two assists in five games before his injury, and put up impressive numbers against Los Angeles this season, with two goals and an assist coming in a 4-1 demolition of the Galaxy on March 26. He tallied another assist in his first game back from injury, a 2-1 loss at the Home Depot Center on October 1.