Los Angeles Galaxy Closing in on Successful Supporters Shield Defense

For Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy, it's very clear what the club needs to do as they go through Revenge Tour Week at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

“Our focus now is on Wednesday,” Donovan told ESPN.com's Scott French. “Put everything into Wednesday. It's a must-win game, and then a big one against Salt Lake. And we think if we can win that game Saturday, the Supporters' Shield is ours, so this is a big week for us.”

Indeed, if the Los Angeles Galaxy win on Saturday against Real Salt Lake, and the Seattle Sounders get upset by the New England Revolution, the Galaxy will have completed a successful MLS Supporters Shield defense.

This is the current playoff scenario.

LA Galaxy will win the Supporters’ Shield for best regular-season record IF:

·         LA Galaxy defeat Real Salt Lake on Saturday AND

o    Seattle fail to defeat New England OR

·         Real Salt Lake lose to Chicago (Wednesday) AND tie LA Galaxy AND

o    Seattle fail to defeat New England

FC Dallas will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

·         FC Dallas defeat Colorado this week AND two of the following occur:

o    Portland lose or tie vs. Vancouver

o    Houston lose to Chicago

o    New York lose to Toronto

Toronto FC and/or the New England Revolution will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

·         Toronto and/or New England fail to win this week OR

·         New York win or tie OR

·         D.C. United win OR

·         Portland win

(Toronto FC and New England cannot both qualify)

San Jose Earthquakes will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:

·         San Jose loses to Kansas City this week AND two of the following occur:

o    Philadelphia tie either game this week

o    D.C. United win either game this week

o    New York defeat Toronto

·         OR San Jose tie Kansas City AND:

o    Columbus tie or win one game this week AND

o    Philadelphia win either game this week AND

o    D.C. United win either game this week