Jaime Penedo has been a Major League Soccer player for less than a  month, but he could take home one of the league’s high-profile annual awards. 

The L.A. Galaxy goalkeeper made a stunning save on Saturday night, which could very well win MLS’ Save of the Year Award for the 2013 season. It also preserved a victory for his surging team.

Penedo spectacularly preserved his team’s victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the 82nd minute.

Vancouver’s Kekuta Manneh shot from distance, causing Penedo to dive to his left. Manneh’s effort hit the post but fell invitingly to Jordan Harvey.




The Whitecaps defender appeared to have an open goal at his mercy when he 
tried to tap the rebound in from around eight yards out. But L.A.’s Panamanian 
goalkeeper had other leapt to his feet, dove to the right and batted Harvey’s 
shot away.

Landon Donovan, who scored the game’s only goal, said Penedo’s feat resembled
those of a certain superhero, according to MLSSoccer.com.

“In a game like this, you’re expecting to need one big play from a defender 
or a goalie, or someone’s going to need to make a play, because they were 
putting us under some pressure at the end.

“Fortunately, the first one hit the post. I was standing right behind it. 
I’ve played a lot of soccer games in my life, and when I see a play like that,
I can’t remember a time where a goal didn’t occur after [that kind of rebound].

“It seemed like he just came out of nowhere, kind of like Superman, and 
extended his arm and made an unbelievable save.”

After a strong Gold Cup with Panama’s national team, Penedo joined the Galaxy 
on Aug. 5 from Guatemala’s CSD Municipal. The 31-year-old looks might have 
supplanted Carlo Cudicini (a 13-year veteran of England’s Premier League)
as the Galaxy’s starting goalkeeper after appearing in his new team’s last three games.
If Penedo is indeed the Galaxy’s new custodian, he’s not acting like it.

“I’m not saying I’m the No. 1,” Penedo said after the game. “There are four 
goalkeepers that are working hard, and I have to work hard and learn. That’s 
what I have to do.”

Nice work, Clark Kent.

See Penedo’s “Superman” save in the video below.

Article by Marcus Kwesi O'Mard

Vancouver, British Columbia - Landon Donovan scored in the third minute and the Los Angeles Galaxy held on to beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 Saturday night for their fifth straight win.
 
Donovan got his fourth goal in the last three matches to help the Galaxy (12-9-4) secure sole possession of second place in the Western Conference.


 
Donovan scored after A.J. DeLaGarza's pass hit Whitecaps central defender
Johnny Leveron and came to him. The Galaxy captain planted a high shot in
the left corner of the net over Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted.

''It helps a lot when you're on the road,'' Donovan said of the early goal.
''It puts your team in a really good position, and even if they score a goal,
you're back where you started, so it's a nice way to start a game.

''We can play a little more cautiously and just worry about defending and
trying to counter - and it really played to our advantage tonight.''

Donovan needs four more goals to become the all-time leading scorer in MLS
history.

Los Angeles goalkeeper Jaime Penedo recorded his first MLS shutout in only
his second career league appearance and third overall with the Galaxy.

''It was a grind-out road victory, one that we haven't had all year, so it
was good to get one,'' Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena said.

The Whitecaps (10-9-6) lost their second straight overall and just their
second at home this season.

''It was obviously a bad start, the worst start you could have got, with the
goal so early,'' Whitecaps coach Martin Rennie said. ''That was
disappointing.

''But after that, I thought that we played well. We got forward and created a
number of good chances.''

Usually prolific offensively at home, Vancouver struggled against Los Angeles.
Whitecaps striker Camilo, who entered the game tied for the MLS scoring
lead with 14 goals, began the game on the bench due to a slight groin strain
sustained last weekend against Colorado, and stayed there throughout.

''So that was disappointing,'' Rennie said. ''And, obviously, in a game like
that today that was really tight, a player like Camilo is someone who could make
a difference and could perhaps get us a goal.''

It ended Camilo's string of 17 consecutive starts in league games dating to
April 27.

Darren Mattocks, who recently returned from a knee injury that required minor
surgery, started in his place. It was the Jamaican international's first start
since the last meeting between the teams at Vancouver on May 11, when he scored.
But he did not do much this time, rarely touching the ball before he subbed out
in the second half.

The Whitecaps almost tied it in the 10th minute, but Gershon Koffie's shot
from about 30 yards sailed wide of the right post. Vancouver had another chance
in the 15th minute, but Mattocks' pass to Kenny Miller inside the box
inadvertently hit him in the hand, nullifying the opportunity.

Los Angeles had a chance to increase its lead in the 25th minute, but Keane's
shot off a throw-in went just over the crossbar. The Irish international had another
chance from just outside Vancouver's box after a giveaway about seven minutes later,
but his left-footed shot went just wide of the right post.

Los Angeles (08/04/2013) - When a pair of two-time defending champions in their respective leagues met at Dodger Stadium, even the Los Angeles Galaxy were a bit surprised to come out on top of mighty Juventus.

Landon Donovan scored the tiebreaking goal on a pass from Robbie Keane in the 60th minute, and the Galaxy beat Juventus 3-1 Saturday night in the International Champions Cup tournament.



Nobody from the Galaxy ascribed much importance to the result, but the Galaxy's fans got extra enjoyment from their club's first appearance at Dodger Stadium, the venerable 51-year-old Southern California landmark.

''Our team played well, (but) the result isn't going to change anything in this world,'' Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena said. ''We played well against a very good team, but we understand it's an exhibition. I don't want to play them when
it really counts.''

Although the rest of the tournament schedule hasn't been announced, Los Angeles is expected to play in the third-place game in Miami on Wednesday night, likely against the loser of Chelsea's match with AC Milan on Sunday outside New York.

Do you think their dreamlike winning streak will continue? Tell us your thoughts in the comments and call (877) 251-3289 to place a wager.

The Los Angeles Lakers guard had a ‘try out’ with elite Italian soccer team Inter Milan Tuesday in New Jersey as the team prepared for the first ever Guinness International Champions Cup. The  nine-day bracket-format tournament starts Wednesday in several U.S. cities and also features other top international teams including AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Everton, Juventus, LA Galaxy, Real Madrid and Valencia.

This story brings back all of the other great Athletes who tries to play more than one Sport. Michael Jordan playing Baseball or who can forget Bo Jackson playing 3 Sports?



“[The tryout] was kind of tongue-in-cheek,” Nash told For The Win. “The coach
was kind enough to let me get out there for a bit. They’re preparing for the season
and the Guinness Cup. It’s not ideal preparation to have a stranger walk on the
Sfield. They were really gracious and gave me the time of my life.”

Fortunately for Lakers fans, Steve Nash didn’t make the cut.

Nash, a part-owner of the MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps, also sponsors an
annual charity soccer game in June to raise money for underprivileged children.
Between those experiences and his practice with Inter Milan, he seems to be in
awe of the elite players he’s scrimmaged with.

“Their level of skill, athleticism, understanding of the game and speed of
thought and ability is incredibly honed and phenomenal to experience,” Nash
said.

The same could be said about the two-time NBA MVP on a basketball court,
although he hasn’t had much time on one this summer, spending most of his off
months rehabbing from an array of hamstring, hip and back injuries that plagued
him at the end of last season.

“I’m not 100 percent but I’m getting really close and getting better all the
time,” Nash said.  ”I’ve done a lot of work and feeling positive and
optimistic.”

He’ll return to a Lakers team that no longer has Dwight Howard and faces
injury questions with fellow aging stars Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. The
39-year-old Nash, who has two seasons remaining on his contract with the team,
seems to realize his window to win his first NBA title is closing.

“I definitely want to win a championship but it’s not going to define my
career,” Nash said. “If I get the opportunity that’ll be fantastic and it’s part
of the motivation to keep playing, but I also feel like there’s a lot of other
reward in playing.  I still enjoy being a teammate and competing against
the best players in the world.”