# 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season

The 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club's 18th year of existence as well as their 17th season in Major League Soccer (MLS) and their 17th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer. The Galaxy entered the season as both the defending MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield winners.
The 2012 campaign was highlighted by the Galaxy successfully defending their MLS Cup title, defeating Houston Dynamo, 3–1, in the MLS Cup final to win their fourth ever MLS Cup championship, tying D.C. United for the most league championships in MLS history, and the second most in North American history.
Although Los Angeles defended their MLS Cup trophy, the club failed to defend the Supporters' Shield, losing on point differential to their upstate rivals, the San Jose Earthquakes on point total. Most of this is to blame due to poorer performance early on in the season, before a second-half season resurgence.
Elsewhere, the Galaxy also competed in 2012 Desert Diamond Cup, winning the preseason tournament, the 2011–12 and 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, as well as the 2012 U.S. Open Cup. In the 2011–12 edition of the Champions League, the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals before losing 4–3 on aggregate to Canadian side, Toronto FC. In the 2012–13 edition, the Galaxy won their group for the second straight year, and reached the knockout round, which will be played during the 2013 campaign. Finally, the Galaxy were eliminated in the third round proper of the Open Cup losing to second-tier North American Soccer League outfit, Carolina RailHawks.
In noncompetitive tournaments, the Galaxy hosted Spanish club, Real Madrid, in the 2012 World Football Challenge, losing the exhibition match, 1–5.

## Background

The Galaxy entered the 2012 season off of one of the franchise's most successful campaigns ever. The club earned the league double, winning both the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup. Additionally, the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, and were the only American team to win their group in the CONCACAF Champions League, posting a record of four wins, two losses and no draws.
Following the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Galaxy embarked on a two-week, postseason tour across Asia, stopping in Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia. During the tour, the Galaxy finished undefeated, winning twice and tying once.
Offseason reports involved David Beckham's contract concluding at the end of 2011, and whether or not he would remain with the Galaxy. On January 18, 2012, Galaxy announced Beckham had signed a new two-year contract to remain in Los Angeles.

## Competitions
### Desert Diamond Cup
#### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | New England Revolution | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 9 |
| 2 | LA Galaxy | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | New York Red Bulls | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 |
| 4 | Real Salt Lake | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 |

#### Matches
### Major League Soccer
#### Standings
##### Western Conference Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 72 | 43 | +29 | 66 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 2 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 46 | 35 | +11 | 57 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 3 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 51 | 33 | +18 | 56 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 4 | LA Galaxy | 34 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 54 | MLS Cup Knockout Round |
| 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 35 | 41 | −6 | 43 | MLS Cup Knockout Round |
| 6 | FC Dallas | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 42 | 47 | −5 | 39 | |
| 7 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 11 | 19 | 4 | 44 | 50 | −6 | 37 | |
| 8 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 8 | 16 | 10 | 34 | 56 | −22 | 34 | |
| 9 | Chivas USA | 34 | 7 | 18 | 9 | 24 | 58 | −34 | 30 | |

##### Overall table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Jose Earthquakes (S) | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 72 | 43 | +29 | 66 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 42 | 27 | +15 | 63 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | D.C. United | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 58 | |
| 4 | New York Red Bulls | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 57 | |
| 5 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 46 | 35 | +11 | 57 | |
| 6 | Chicago Fire | 34 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 46 | 41 | +5 | 57 | |
| 7 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 51 | 33 | +18 | 56 | |
| 8 | LA Galaxy (C) | 34 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 54 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 9 | Houston Dynamo | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 53 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 10 | Columbus Crew | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 52 | |
| 11 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 35 | 41 | −6 | 43 | |
| 12 | Montreal Impact | 34 | 12 | 16 | 6 | 45 | 51 | −6 | 42 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 13 | FC Dallas | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 42 | 47 | −5 | 39 | |
| 14 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 11 | 19 | 4 | 44 | 50 | −6 | 37 | |
| 15 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 10 | 18 | 6 | 37 | 45 | −8 | 36 | |
| 16 | New England Revolution | 34 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 39 | 44 | −5 | 35 | |
| 17 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 8 | 16 | 10 | 34 | 56 | −22 | 34 | |
| 18 | Chivas USA | 34 | 7 | 18 | 9 | 24 | 58 | −34 | 30 | |
| 19 | Toronto FC | 34 | 5 | 21 | 8 | 36 | 62 | −26 | 23 | |

#### Matches

Win  Tie  Loss

### CONCACAF Champions League (2012–13)

The Galaxy earned a berth into the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the Supporters Shield on October 8, 2011. Since the Galaxy also won the MLS Cup, which also merits a direct bye into group play, the Galaxy forfeited their Shield berth to the Sounders and took the MLS Cup berth.

#### Group 5 Table

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | LA | PRI | MET |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 10 | | 4–0 | 5–2 |
| Puerto Rico Islanders | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 4 | 0–0 | | 3–0 |
| Isidro Metapán | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | |

#### Group Stage Matches
## Player movement and trades
### Transfers
#### In

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date |
| 8 | MF | Marcelo Sarvas | LD Alajuelense | Free | December 13, 2011 |
| 33 | MF | Jose Villarreal | LA Galaxy Youth Academy | Free | December 22, 2011 |
| 34 | MF | Kyle Nakazawa | Philadelphia Union | Traded for | February 1, 2012 |
| 14 | FW | Edson Buddle | Ingolstadt 04 | Free | February 1, 2012 |
| 22 | DF | Leonardo | São Paulo | Free | February 7, 2012 |
| 1 | GK | Bill Gaudette | Montreal Impact | Free | February 29, 2012 |
| 3 | DF | David Junior Lopes | Chivas USA | Traded for | April 10, 2012 |
| 1 | GK | Brian Rowe | Unattached | Free | July 13, 2012 |
| 9 | MF | Christian Wilhelmsson | Al-Hilal FC | Free | September 5, 2012 |

#### MLS Drafts

| Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date |
| DF | Andrew Boyens | Chivas USA | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 1 | December 12, 2011 |
| DF | Chris Leitch | San Jose Earthquakes | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 2 | December 12, 2011 |
| FW | Pat Noonan | Seattle Sounders FC | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 3 | December 12, 2011 |
| GK | Jon Conway | Chicago Fire | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 4 | December 12, 2011 |
| DF | Tommy Meyer | Indiana University | SuperDraft, 1st round | January 12, 2012 |
| MF | Kenney Walker | University of Louisville | SuperDraft, 2nd round | January 12, 2012 |
| DF | Bryan Gaul | Bradley University | Supplemental Draft, 1st round | January 17, 2012 |
| MF | Rafael Garcia | Cal State Northridge | Supplemental Draft, 2nd round | January 17, 2012 |
| FW | Yuri Gorentzvaig | Flamengo | Supplemental Draft, 3rd round | January 17, 2012 |
| FW | Steven Posa | University of San Diego | Supplemental Draft, 4th round | January 17, 2012 |
| DF | Justin Davies | San Diego State University | Supplemental Draft, 4th round | January 17, 2012 |

#### Out

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date |
| 3 | DF | Gregg Berhalter | None | Retired | October 12, 2011 |
| 1 | GK | Donovan Ricketts | Montreal Impact | Traded | November 28, 2011 |
| 25 | MF | Miguel López | Quilmes | Loan expired | December 31, 2011 |
| 6 | DF | Frankie Hejduk | None | Out of contract | January 19, 2012 |
| 7 | FW | Jovan Kirovski | None | Retired | January 19, 2012 |
| 29 | DF | Dasan Robinson | None | Retired | January 23, 2012 |
| 33 | DF | Sean Alvarado | None | Released | January 23, 2012 |
| 8 | MF | Chris Birchall | Columbus Crew | Out of contract | February 6, 2012 |
| 21 | MF | Dustin McCarty | None | Released | February 13, 2012 |
| 28 | DF | Ryan Thomas | None | Released | February 13, 2012 |
| 55 | DF | Joshua Kelly | None | Out of contract | February 13, 2012 |
| 30 | MF | Paolo Cardozo | Chivas USA | Traded | April 10, 2012 |
| 17 | FW | Adam Cristman | None | Retired | July 3, 2012 |
| 1 | GK | Bill Gaudette | New York Red Bulls | Traded | July 13, 2012 |

### Loan in

| No. | Pos. | Player | Previous club | Start | End | Ref. |
| 19 | MF | Juninho | São Paulo | December 23, 2009 | December 31, 2012 | |

### Loan out

| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned to | Start | End |
| 10 | MF | Landon Donovan | Everton | January 1, 2012 | February 19, 2012 |
| 4 | DF | Omar Gonzalez | Nuremberg | January 5, 2012 | February 15, 2012 |
| 14 | FW | Robbie Keane | Aston Villa | January 9, 2012 | February 26, 2012 |
| 9 | FW | Chad Barrett | Vålerenga | July 31, 2012 | December 31, 2012 |

## Kits

| Home | Away | Third | Special |
| Type | Shirt | Shorts | Socks | First appearance / Info |
| Home | White | White | White | |
| Away | Blue-grey | Blue-grey | Blue-grey | |
| Third | Black | Black | Black | |
| Special | White | Blue-grey | White | 2011–12 CCL, ¼-Finals, March 7 against Toronto → Training Shirt |

## Miscellany
### Allocation ranking

Los Angeles is in the #19 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking.

### International roster slots

Los Angeles has 7 MLS International Roster Slots for use in the 2012 season. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots. Los Angeles traded one slot to Portland Timbers, traded another to Philadelphia Union, and acquired one from D.C. United. Each of these trades expire on January 1, 2013.

### Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired:
* 2013 MLS SuperDraft Round 2 pick from Philadelphia Union
* 2014 MLS Supplemental Draft Round 2 pick from New York Red Bulls
Future picks traded:
* 2014 MLS SuperDraft Round 4 pick to Houston Dynamo