That’s it from me, thanks for all your emails - Graham Parker has just filed his match report - it will be up very shortly.

Landon Donovan speaks: “A lot of credit to New England, in some ways they were better today … so thankful to our guys, to Robbie for scoring the goal. We waited for the play we needed.”

Robbie Keane wins MVP, despite wandering around the field aimlessly for most of the game. Keane says of winning MLS Cup again: “It doesn’t get much better than that”.

PEEEP! That’s it. Galaxy do what they always do to New England in MLS Cup and secure the win! LA GALAXY ARE MLS CHAMPIONS! And what a way for Landon Donovan to end a brilliant career. Galaxy have now won their fifth MLS Cup, a league record.

120 min+2 (extra-time): Shuttleworth ambles up for the corner. It comes to nothing. But another corner for the Revs. There’s a touch at the near post and Galaxy clear.

120 min+1 (extra-time): Not surprsingly, the Revs attack. They’re just not very godo at it and Galaxy thrash it away. Corner though to New England.

120 min (extra-time): There will be three minutes of added time.

119 min (extra-time): To his immense shock, Farrell finds himself in space in the box. He closes his eyes, hopes and thrashes the ball in the general direction of Penedo. It isn’t the defender’s finest work.

116 min (extra-time): Mullins continues to be the most dangerous player for Revolution.His shot has Penedo scrambling down to save low to his right.

114 min (extra-time): Well, Keane had had a pretty terrible game up until that point. Actually, get rid of the “pretty”. Now, he has had an excellent game. Tierney should have been on him though.

110 min (extra-time): Failed fairytale alert! Donovan has a free-kick 20 yards out - but his shot curls just over. Nice effort though.

108 min (extra-time): Galaxy corner. And it’s Shuttleworth, a man who hasn’t run around too much so far, who nearly gifts the game to the opposition. He drops a soft cross - but his team get it away.

106 min (extra-time): Some very tired players out there - will the season be decided by a defensive error? Let’s hope not.

105 min (extra-time): And that’s the first-half done. Mullins had a great chance to score the winner - but it’s no bad thing on his part: he did really well to create the chance in the first place.

103 min (extra-time): Great save! Mullins outpaces his marker and rockets the ball to Penedo’s left. The keeper pushes it away - fine work.

101 min (extra-time): Ooof. Jones is still bounding about like a six-month old puppy despite having run a few marathons (or half ones. Or quarter ones). Anyway, he picks it up on the edge of the area and pokes the ball this wide.

99 min (extra-time): New England spray the ball about very prettily indeed - they haven’t looked more composed all game. Then they remember to be disjointed and Galaxy get it away.

96 min (extra-time): Juninho is down and in pain. He’s hobbling off but may just need a stretch on the sidelines. Or not. Husidic is on in his place.

94 min (extra-time): “Strange to see the two MVP candidates so underwhelming so far, with Keane fluffing his passes and Nguyen ultimately marginalized through the business end of the playoff run,” says Graham Parker.

93 min (extra time): The Revs have a free-kick after Keane’s booking but it flops listlessly off a New England head and into the hands of Penedo.

91 min (extra time): We’re off again and Robbie Keane is imparting his experience by waving his arms around and shouting a bit. Then he gets booked.

PEEP! And we’re going to extra-time. Galaxy should have wrapped up the game by 60 minutes or so. As it is, the Revs have been the more dangerous team as the game has worn on. Will they suffer for the loss of Nguyen though?

90min +3: Keane is sure he’s the victim of a professional foul (or claims he is). It’s not though and the game lurches on towards full-time.

90 min+2: Four minutes of added time. “Excellent!” cries Amy Dean. “Extra-time is prime real estate for Landon to go out with a Zidane-style headbutt”.

90 min: Nguyen is back on but misplaces a pass horribly. It’s the Revolution who are more dangerous as time ticks down though. Dorman is on for Nguyen, who is feeling that injury.

89 min: This is going to be a horrible, late defeat for one of the teams. “The only thing that makes a Cup Final memorable is if your team wins it,” says Simon McMahon. Sure, that and a giant reptile attack. “Come on the Revolution!”

87 min: What a shot! Bunbury’s on the edge of the area and he tries a cross-chip-shot-not-really-sure-what-it-was. At any rate, it floats over the keepers head and bounces off the crossbar. Close, but not close enough. Nguyen pulled up and is off the field for treatment.

84 min: Goncalves is on his own as a free-kick comes across the box - it misses everyone else and lands at the Revs captain’s feet. He’s a bit perturbed by how exactly it arrived there and his shot goes wide.

82 min: Please ignore all the parts where I said the Revs were dead and buried. I was merely trying to gee them up to make this game more competitive. And it worked. Shuttleworth spills a routine shot, he was very lucky there were no Galaxy players to snaffle that one up.

77 min: We’re into the closing stages and the Revs don’t look like a side that has any bright ideas on hw t get themsleves out of the hole they find themselves in.

74 min: Nice play from Revlutio in midfield. Nguyen is nearly played in by a pass that pings to his feet. Or would have done if not for a Galaxy defender. Donovan is getting angry at Keane’s refusal to play like a team-mate - there have been poor passes and poor runs from the Irishman today. Maybe Landon’s departing headbutt will be aimed at Keane.

71 min: More chances for Galaxy! Keane wriggles free and strolls towards goal. He’s got Donovan supporting him too. Keane should really square it to Donovan, who is preparing to bury it into the net. But instead Keane’s shot isn’t good enough to beat Shuttleworth, who stretches out a boot to save. Galaxy should be two up.

69 min: Is this where Donovan goes out in style? He finds some space in the box after Keane’s dummy run distracts the Revs. But Landon’s shot is straight at the keeper. And weak. But apart from that, great.

67 min: Chance for Bunbury! He latches on to the ball in the box but Penedo storms out and punches clear. At the other end, Rogers’s cross is cut out by Galaxy.

64 min: The Revs have a promising foray into the Galaxy half but Bunbury’s good work comes to nothing. Apart from that shot from distance in the first-half they haven’t troubled Penedo in the slightest.

62 min: Zardes is running the show against Farrell, that goal has given the forward all sorts of confidence.

59 min: Rogers takes a knock to the head but looks OK to carry on. In answer to Bill Jones: “I take issue with the Ale House comment (45 min),” says Gabriel Piller. “I’m no MLS tout. In fact, I rarely watch the league, but I think the dour and uninspiring nature of this game has more to do with it being a “Final.” Think of all the terrible FA Cup finals we’ve seen in the last few years (Man City v Stoke comes readily to mind, what a yawner that was); those games are rarely great adverts for the Premier League, but they aren’t used as a stick to beat the league with. Yeah, the MLS isn’t great, but then neither are cup finals, that’s no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water. And of course, I missed the goal while I was typing this. Great.”

57 min: Sub - Caldwell is off and Kobayashi on for the Revs.

56 min: The Galaxy are zingy now. All hesitation is gone and they’re pouring pressure on down the left (where they’ve had success all day). If the Revs were going to win this they probabaly had to score first - they’ve shown little attacking threat so far today.

54 min: That was Zardes’s goal since September 1853 or something too. Incredible to think he scored over 100 years before he was born. In a game where the big names have been quiet-ish, it’s fitting a man who had been poor of late scored.

48 min: We have a dissenter, ladies and gentlemen. “How is this MLS cream of the crop match distinguishable from any half way decent Ale House game?” asks Bill Jones. The players are less drunk? Bill’s words didn’t go down well with Jones (Jermaine, not Bill), who attempts to take out Donovans’s kneecaps. He’s not booked though, lucky man.

46 min: Aaand we’re back. Ishizaki tries for the sucker punch with a long shot while no one’s looking. But it’s high and wide and we can settle back to enjoying our nice, safe goalless draw.

Revolution had the better of the half in terms of possessions - 58% to 42% but Galaxy had five shots on goal to two. And they were better.

45 min: Galaxy end up the half as the more attacking threat. Donovan skips past Farrell - which sums up the young defender’s game - but his cross is headed clear.

43 min: Corner to the Revs and it’s a dangerous one – Zardes, fresh from his attack at the other end, has to head clear on the near post. A nice, attacking finish to the half.

41 min: Talking of Landon, he plays Zardes in with a beautiful ball but the forward is forced wide and can’t find the target.

39 min: Graham Parker has some thoughts on Landon’s farewell: “Re: Amy Dean’s suggestion for Landon Donovan (26th min), would suggest, in honor of Jermaine Jones transaction, that the ending of Donovan’s final game be determined by a choose-your-own-adventure style ‘blind draw’. At least one scenario should involve Jürgen Klinsmann.”

36 min: Galaxy should be a goal up in this game - and that may well give New England encouragement if they go in on equal terms.

33 min: Oooh. The ball comes to Keane on the edge of the area. He jinks right and left before curling the ball just over the bar. Farrell is having a tough game and Galaxy are directing plenty of attacks down the left.

30 min: Revs putting a bit more pressure on the Galaxy. A through ball is just cut out in the Galaxy box. A question. To which the answer is n0. Our hivemind may be able to tell you though:

26 min: Both teams slow down for a few minutes. That was a frenetic few minutes. “I wouldn’t want Landon headbutting anyone, but how about he marks his retirement by making it exciting by scoring three own goals before scoring four in the last 10 minutes,” suggests Amy Dean. I like it Amy, it may look a little like matchfixing but I like it.

24 min: And now it’s the Revs with a chance! Davies is in space, streaming into the box but DeLaGarza stretches a leg out to deny him the shot. Excellent defending and the game is opening out pleasingly.

22 min: Shuttleworth saves. Although I’m not sure how much he knew about it. Keane broke free and had several geological eras to shoot but it was straight at the keeper. Should have done better.

19 min: First corner of the game. No one from either teams can pick it out and the Revs eventually clear. “I have to admit that I was terrified when I heard that LD was retiring,” says Chris Lindon. “I’m pretty relieved it turns out it’s Landon Donovan and not Larry David.” Still, it has been a while since the last series of Curb.

16 min: Some analysis from Graham Parker on the early stages:

The Revs like to start at high tempo, which they’ve done, so far as harrying LA goes — though the other half of that equation means moving the ball quickly and crisply themselves, which they’ve looked nervous doing. Keane already moving over to put pressure on his left flank where Farrell and Bunbury have started shakily.

14 min: So far Landon Donovan has disappintingly refused to go out like Zidane and plant a headbutt on any of his opponents. The game is yet young though. Davies tumbles in the box, taking some of Gonzalez’s cheek with him. Both men are OK though (and there’s no penalty).

11 min: Goncalvez nearly gets himself into trouble in his own area but the ref says he was wrestled to the ground and the defender wins the free-kick.

9 min: A bit more pressure from New England. First Tierney flicks it into the box (it’s cleared) but Galaxy nearly catch out their opponents again - Robbie Keane intercepting a pass on halfway. Jones then has a shot from distance - ambitious distance - and the ball snuggles into Penedo’s arms.

6 min: Revs still look nervous, a wildly misplaced backpass nearly has them in trouble again. But for now Galaxy are taking their time. Revs find some time and breathing space with a free-kick on the halfway line.

3 min: Wow, that was close. We knew Galaxy would attack but the Revs very nearly found themselves a goal down before they had pulled up their socks. Galaxy sliced them apart with ease. Some expert analysis from the Guardian’s own Graham Parker:

1 min: And we’re off! My prediction, by the way, is 2-0 to Galaxy. Revs in dark blue, the Galaxy in all white. And it’s nearly a goal straight away! Rogers scampers into the box and the Revs have to scramble it away.

Aloe Blacc has been nominated for a Grammy (Best R&B album and best solo performance at MLS Cup)! And his reward is to sing the anthem. Which he does well - because he’s a Grammy-nominated artist.

Revs 1-0 Galaxy: “Evening Tom,” says Simon McMahon. Afternoon Simon. “I’m rooting for the Revolution tonight, for two main reasons. One, they’re east coast. And B, their keeper is called Shuttleworth. To do anything else would be like going back to savoury.”

The teams are making their way out on to the field. The Galaxy already stripped down to their shirts. The Revs, perhaps mistakenly believing they’re still in New England have their training tops on. It’s California, men! Relax a little.

Some of the stats may have been Galaxy-centric so far. So here’s one to cheer up the Revs fans out there (admittedly the sample size may not be large enough to withstand scientific rigour):

StubHub Center is a fine site this afternoon. Of all the StubHub Centers in the world, it’s definitely in the top four. The temperature is in the mid 72F (he says reading the Weatehr Channel website) and the turf is being watered as the players zip it about in the warm-up. Kick-off is 20 minutes away (barring asteroid strike or giant reptile attack).

The midfields will be crucial to today’s game and are arguably the strongest aspect for both teams. Here’s our analysis:

Revolution: Jermaine Jones. Lee Nguyen. Possibly the best two players in the league since the summer. Jones pulled strings from deep, and Nguyen’s set pieces and secondary runs earned him a barrel load of goals from midfield. And every opposing coach knows it. Stopping them is another matter. New York were punished late in the first leg by Nguyen finally shaking free the close attention of his markers to set up the winner, while the close marking of both men allowed space for Teal Bunbury, forward Charlie Davies and Tierney to hurt the opposition at different times in the game. If New England win, their defense holds up and they win the midfield battle. They have the personnel to do so.

Galaxy: Though the soon-to-be retired Donovan plays an enormous role in this category, both for good and ill (when he goes anonymous in matches LA can switch off), too little attention is given to the central midfield pairing of Brazilians Marcelo Sarvas and Juninho. Incredibly, Arena didn’t settle on anchoring his 4-4-2 on Sarvas/Juninho until shortly after the World Cup, which is also when, coincidentally or not, Donovan hit the form of his career. Sarvas and Juninho combine clockwork passing and accuracy with a willingness to get stuck in when it counts in a very physical league. Meanwhile, the growing role of Stefan Ishizaki out wide has further stretched opposition defences. Though perhaps not as deadly on the counter as New England, LA’s elite midfield is built for patient, possession-based build up play and defensive discipline.

Stats!

And a note from Everton (with authentic Scouse language at the end):

ESPN is showing its commitment to soccer by showing the College Football Playoffs Selection show two minutes before the start of the game. Hmmm. Meanwhile, an O’Donovan writes:

“Having no “o” key would be terrible if you were trying to do Martin Tyler at the end of the 2011-12 season. AGUER! doesn’t have the same ring to it,” writes my colleague Dan Lucas. Agreed and that’s before you get to the umlaut problems

A cure for my o/0 problems:

“I think Google will mind if you miss out the ‘o’s or replace them with zeros,” says Alec Cochrane. “I would recommend doing a copy and paste, but that would mean you’d have to write more and do less copying and pasting of emails, which are the staple of the mbm journalist when the game is inevitably dull.”

My j key is working fine. Maybe I can just substitute o’s with j’s. Although what happens Juninho scores? Maybe I can substiute j’s with ]’s but then what happens if I want to put in an editing note? Maybe I can substitute my ]’s with ~’s. Or maybe I can just hit my o really hard. Which should break it mre.

And the Revs team is now in:

Some bad news for a report requiring words like “football”, “soccer”, “Donovan” and “goal”. The “o” key on my keybard (see) is only working intermittently. Be thankful Jeff Agoos retired 10 years ago. Or should that be ag0? Any0ne mind if we do 0’s for o’s?

Meanwhile, little know Galaxy player Landon Donovan will be retiring after today’s game. Here’s a little look at his locker before he heads off to a life of gardening and looking after the grandkids. In all honesty, it would have been more interesting if there were some drugs or unlicensed firearms in there. Or even just some nice chocolates:

Team news!

On the other hand, Lee Nguyen is arguably the best player in the league based on the last few months, and Galaxy are such obvious favourites that they’re bound to lose.

More bad news for the Revs. These teams have met once before this season, the Galaxy winning 5-1. Oh, and Galaxy have the league MVP, Robbie Keane, on their books. Oh, and they’re playing on home turf. Oh, and they’ve conceded the fewest goals of any team in the league this season. And scored the most.

Galaxy meanwhile are appearing in their ninth MLS Cup, and if they win today they’ll have a record five titles (goodbye DC United with your pathetic four). So we have a team of cold-blooded winners against a team with something of the choke about them. This could get painful.

Afternoon everyone and welcome to MLS Cup [checks year] 2014. If this match-up seems familiar it’s because it is: this is the third time Galaxy and Revolution have met in with the MLS championship at stake. The bad news for the Revs? They’ve lost them all to the Galaxy? The worse news? They’ve lost all four MLS Cups they’ve played in. The good news? They’re consistent.