Seattle » It doesn't make Real Salt Lake's job any harder, but it certainly illustrates the challenge.
The Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan was named the Most Valuable Player in Major League Soccer on Thursday, just three days before he leads his team against RSL in the MLS Cup championship game at Qwest Field.
Donovan beat out New England's Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Cunningham of FC Dallas -- a former RSL striker -- to win the award for the first time. He already had been named to the league's "Best XI" all-star team, and won its goal of the year award.
"Rewarding is the right word," Donovan told the league's Web site. "We've worked very hard to get where we are with this team. Sometimes you almost feel bad that we keep winning awards and keep getting this and that. When you think about it, we deserve it. This team has worked really hard, but if we don't win Sunday these things aren't going to mean a whole lot."
The fifth-leading scorer in league history, Donovan scored 12 goals with six assists in 25 games this season, even though he missed a month while playing for the United States in the Confederations Cup in South Africa. One of those goals came against RSL, which will need to contain him if it hopes to win its first league title.
Welcome to town
Coaches and players arrived here Thursday evening to discover that league officials are painting the top of the iconic Space Needle with the logos for the MLS Cup and both teams.
Both RSL and the Galaxy will hold their first pre-game workouts at Qwest Field today, with the coaches and several players also participating in press conferences. A welcoming event at the airport was canceled due to logistical problems, but several dozen fans bid RSL farewell before they boarded their flight in Salt Lake City.
