The tunnel outside RSL's locker room was crazy with fans yelling and trying to see the players. I saw someone walk by with the Cup, and then I saw Marcia Williams, wife of RSL's Andy Williams. She's battling leukemia and had a big white mask on that covered all but her eyes on her face. It was hard not to feel for her, but how happy she and Andy must be tonight. What an inspiration they both are. I saw Tyrone Marshall down there, and he said he was glad that a second Jamaican besides him won a title.

Weird to say LA in Sounders FC's locker room. And Beckham had a crowd of reporters 5 deep around him.

He said this: "i had three injections in my ankle and it wore off after about 15 minutes."
And..."I said I will be back after hopefully the World Cup and that's not going to change."

Galaxy GK Josh Saunders (former Timber):
"I felt I could come in an somewhat contribute to the team. I'm proud but devastated at the same time."

Robbie Russell:
"Playing in front of a crowd like that was great. It was a lot better than I expected."
Q: Now what? "Haha...it's vacation time. Just go relax, heal the wounds, I think Real Salt Lake has a really bright future. This may be the start of something that will last and championships are always remembered.
Q: Do you get to take the Cup home first? "Definitely."

RSL coach Jason Kreis:
"My honest opinion was that we deserved to win that game, so I'm glad that we did."

"I was walking down the fish market today and I must have seen a hundred Real Salt Lake fans and maybe five Galaxy fans. So I think that was an indication of how well supported we were tonight...I have a feeling that it's a really really big thing for Utah."

Kyle Beckerman:
"We've really bought into "the star is the team" here in Salt Lake."

Bruce Arena:
"I thought that Josh Saunders was remarkable that he had to make two big saves to keep us alive there...It was just a battle of attrition."

On Beckham not being 100 percent: "No he was obviously a little bit hobbled. Certainly wasn't 100 percent."

2-- Nice cross from Findley, the Oregon State grad.

9 -- Niced through ball by Magee for Donovan, in front of the goal, but no good shot.

12- Becks will get his first corner kick....cleared out and there will be another one.

14 -- Yellow card for WIll Johnson of RSL for a shove on Donovan.

16 -- Beckerman and Magee go at it verbally after a hard foul against LA, and Beckerman just kicked the ball at Magee's legs then took it away from him. He seems like a loose cannon. Love it.

18 -- Player down for RSL is Morales, stretcher out but not needed. Morales walks off.

22 -- Morales came back on but was limping badly and clearly in pain. It's a left knee ligament LCL sprain. Now Clint Mathis is in for RSL and Morales out, we'll see if that disrupts their attack.

25 -- Kirovski with the shot, saved on the bounce by Rimando.

27 -- Findley with a nice burst of speed but it's a goal kick when he loses the ball.

28 -- Gonzalez gets in on set piece and his ball is chipped over the goal.

30 -- I'm sure Posh (Victoria) isn't going to read this, though I do think she and Dave are a good couple...but Becks' hair just doesn't look that good. Moving on...

32 -- Andy Williams with the low grounder shot, wide.

36 -- First great chance to LA...Buddle to Donovan, who pushes it up, sends it wide to Magee with the shot that goes through two RSL defenders and wide right of the net.

39 -- Yellow card to LA's Birchall.

40 -- Offsides on Buddle and Beckham and Donovan are really upset.

41 --GOALLL....Los Angeles. Beckham up the middle, right pass to Donovan, centers to Magee for the tuck into the left corner of the net. 1-0 Galaxy.

Extra time -- Williams free kick to Borchers with the re-direct, saved by Ricketts.

Big shot turnaround by Movsisyan is over the goal. RSL not fazed, it appears.

HALF 1-0 L.A.

Second half on

47 -- Findley and Ricketts with a major collission as Findley was racing in with the ball. Both are down and in a lot of pain. Nasty collision.
Replays show Findley appeared to get hit in the face with a Ricketts boot and Ricketts was hit in the privates. Findley is up now --50th min.

51 -- Ricketts now up and walking it off, he has to goal kick it.

57 -- Donovan fouled by Olave, free kick time for Becks. The shot goes into the wall of defenders and out of bounds.

60 --Beckerman feeds it into Movsisyan who is tackled in the box but no call and RSL is steaming.

62-- Now the fans are really on the ref after a takedown by LA.

64 -- GOAL RSL ....Findley scores after he and Movsisyan battle in the box with kicks and the ball is deflected to Findley who put it in.

65 -- Rickets is out of the game and new keeper in for LA, it's Josh Saunders.

69 -- Ricketts has a right hand deep bruise.

71 -- Movsisyan with the shot high, good run though. That guy's on fire right now. Forgot to mention that Ned Grabavoy is in game for RSL.

75 -- Fabian Espindola in for Movsisyan.

79 -- Chris Klein in , Birchall out for LA.

84 -- Three straight benders into the box by Becks produce nothing, but fun to watch.

86 -- Findley is FAST. He was hard to Sounders Fc to mark this season and he almost produced a goal there. Saunders with the slide save.

89 -- Gonzalez out, rookie AJ DeLaGarza in for L.A.

Attendance: 46,011. The rain stayed away and the people came.

Seven minutes of extra time. 30 min of OT periods, then PKs if needed.

95 -- DelaGarza heads it out for an RSL corner....Beckerman takes it, saved off the header.

END REGULATION....time for orange slices.

OT No. 1

94th -- Findley is blocked by DelaGarza and that was a huge chance for RSL.

98 -- Findley with a blast after pass from Mathis, wide open hits side of net just wide. Ouch.

100 -- Foul on Becks on Beckerman. Free kick Mathis again just wide right.

END First OT 1-1

Second OT period

Fifth time the Galaxy has been in a final that has gone into OT. It has been to the final six times in all.

109 -- Good cross and the header by Chris Wingert of RSL is wide. The net just came off its stanchion but now repaired. Bart Wiley all over it for Sounders FC.

PK TIME!!!!!!

and Robbie Russell wins it for RSL 5-4 on PKs. He falls to his knees. Upset. Jubilaiton in Seattle for the Utah folks.

The Sounders just walked out on the red carpet to a huge roar from the fans, and they returned the love. Most of the players were on the field, didn't see Freddie Ljungberg.

Lot of scarves up in the crowd, a great great scene.

Then my new friend Katherine showed up to my press box seat with a Victory Knot, aka the giant pretzel you can buy here at Qwest. I know Steve Kelley was impressed. He's eating it now, with the cheese sauce.

Both teams on the field, lineups announced, anthem sung, and let's go...

This was pretty good.

Real Salt Lake

GK Nick Rimando
D Robbie Russell
D Nat Borchers
D Jamison Olave
D Chris Wingert
M Andy Williams
M Kyle Beckerman (capt.)
M Javier Morales
M Will Johnson
F Robbie Findley
F Yura Movsisyan

LA Galaxy

GK Donovan Ricketts
D Sean Franklin
D Gregg Berhalter
D Omar Gonzalez
D Todd Dunivant
M David Beckham
M Mike Magee
M Chris Birchall
M Jovan Kirovski
F Edson Buddle
F Landon Donovan

Both teams warming up, scheduled for a 5:50 start or somewhere around then.
Crazy scene outside the stadium a little while ago. It's a lot of fun. Wish I could sit in the stands. It's not raining.

De-Ro

Brad Evans.

Fredy Montero.

Stuart Holden (left) and Chris Pontius.

The Sounders FC coach remains at Overlake, I am told. I would imagine he'll watch the game on TV assuming the rooms get ESPN. Wishing him a speedy recovery and quick exit from the hospital, as I'm sure many of you are too.

Our chance, as folks covering the MLS Cup, to take the pitch at Qwest early this morning and play soccer with friends and new acquaintances. My team, White #1 (based on the color shirts we wore), started out with a 2-1 win. All games were half-field. We proceeded to drop the next two, but everyone had a good time and it was great to play on the turf at Qwest among some good people.

Gregg Bell, the lead Associated Press sports writer for its Seattle office, was on my team. So was Lauren Brophy, the Chicago Fire's manager of communications. We had a blast. I mis-hit the ball on my one good chance to score but I made some nice passes from the back. At least I didn't get tired from running - thanks to my trainer Oscar Santana for that! Have to say big thanks to the league media relations people for setting this up. Nobody took themselves too seriously and there were a lot of smiles (and some celebratory side bumps).

Photos:

My team (I'm wearing the dark blue beanie):

Fuerza Latina representando con safos!

Sounders FC beat writers unite - Don Ruiz from the Tacoma News Tribune and I.