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.

It's an MLS regular season game. The winner will get three points, or a tie will mean each team earns a point. In terms of the standings, it's just another game. Right?

With CenturyLink Field already sold out and expecting over 67,000 fans, new Sounders acquisition Clint Dempsey set to make his home debut, and with the Portland Timbers in town contesting the league's fiercest rivalry, Sunday's game will be anything but ordinary.

“You recognize its your rival and it doesn't matter what position you are in the standings,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said after training Friday. “It's always going to be an important game.”

In addition to the aforementioned factors, Sunday's match will take on extra importance because the Timbers, unlike their first two seasons in the league, have the opportunity to both make the playoffs and finish ahead of their fierce rival in the standings.

Portland sits in third place in the Western Conference, in the midst of its most successful season to date. After a
slow start, Seattle is on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, five points back of Portland, but with two games in hand.  

“Maybe it takes on a little more significance right now because they feel 'Hey we're on top of them right now, we're ahead of them in the standings and maybe the power has shifted,'” Schmid said. “So it's up to us to come out and
reestablish ourselves.”

For a team that averages over 40,000 fans and routinely delivers one of the most raucous atmospheres in MLS, Sunday should still be an extraordinary day in the history of the Sounders franchise.

With the biggest crowd to ever see a soccer game in Seattle expected, the Emerald City Supporters, known for their massive tifo displays, are set to unveil the largest CenturyLink Field has ever seen.

“It's something you gotta get excited about,” Schmid said. “It's got to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck and you get there and hopefully the players can take that emotion and don't turn it into overexcitement.”

The fans, and Schmid, will hope to see Clint Dempsey get on the score sheet for the first time with the Sounders in his third game since joining the team from Tottenham. 

“It's just a matter of he not putting so much pressure on himself to try and get that first goal or try and get that first assist,” Schmid said. “Just let it come and I think once it comes he'll be settled and I think it will help our team.”

Whether Dempsey gets on the board or not, Sunday is likely to be one of the more memorable regular season games in the league's history, and one which will be remembered for much more than the impact it has on the league standings.

By Seth Vertelney | Goal.com

Passion, dedication, undying support — all words and phrases MLS fans often use to describe supporters of the Seattle Sounders.

Fanatacism, bewilderment, "really, bro?" — all words and phrases that some might use to describe the Sounders fan in the following tweet and photo.

We've all heard of "Deuce Face." Welcome "Deuce Neck."

It's the Clint Dempsey version of Mr. Potato Head with his head sitting right on top of his soccer boots. Except, where are the rubber arms, mustache and tongue inserts, and what happens if that guy headbangs too violently at a metal show? Does Deuce's whole face fall off?

It may very well be a sign that we're entering a new phase of MLS fandom: Why go for a simple club crest as a tattoo when you can memorialize your favorite superstar? This will be forever remembered as one of the firsts.


For that guy's sake, let's hope Dempsey retires a Sounder.



Story first published: August 13, 2013             
By: Andy Edwards              
Source: MLSsoccer.com