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CARSON, Calif. -- Although the Los Angeles Galaxy opened their MLS title defence with the result Landon Donovan wanted, hes hoping they dont regret their missed chances to make it even better. Sean Franklin scored on a dramatic 27-yard strike just after halftime, and the Galaxy began their run at a third straight league championship with a 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on Sunday night in the first leg of the Western Conference semifinals. Franklins first goal in more than five months provided a small advantage for the third-seeded Galaxy when the clubs head to Utah on Thursday for the second leg. The Galaxy were good, dominating possession and effectively shuttering Reals attack, but they could have been even better. Donovan and Robbie Keane had numerous chances up front throughout the match, but repeatedly failed to provide additional cushion for the Galaxy. "We put a lot of pressure on them throughout the night, so theres going to be some cracks," Donovan said. "Robbie and I need to do a better job with our counterattacks. Usually were better than that. I have a feeling were going to have a lot more chances Thursday as the game goes on as they open up and expose themselves, and were fine with that." Jaime Penedo posted his fifth shutout in 10 MLS matches for the Galaxy, who are in search of their league-record fifth MLS Cup title. Los Angeles is trying to become the first MLS team to win three consecutive titles despite losing two key components of its previous championship teams: star midfielder David Beckham and goal-scorer Mike Magee. The Galaxy are in prime position to make that run, but a couple of extra goals would have helped from an otherwise one-sided game. Keane barely missed a goal on a breakaway in the 85th minute, pushing a low shot just wide of the far post. The Irish international star scored 16 MLS goals for the second straight regular season. "We certainly left a few chances out there, but we cant score every time," Keane said. "I wasnt connecting with the ball properly. You have nights like this. Its not something Im going to lose any sleep over." Salt Lake, which had a four-game unbeaten streak and a lengthy break before the playoffs, might have a sleepless night after an ineffective performance at StubHub Center. Los Angeles largely controlled the flow against second-seeded Salt Lake in a matchup of franchises with three of the last four MLS titles between them. "On a different night, Keane and Donovan are going to kill you on those," Real coach Jason Kreis said. "We werent good enough. We gave the ball away cheaply so many times in so many dangerous spots. ... Players need to be better. Were just missing some simple passes. Our better players need to be better, and they will." Keane and Donovan both missed on impressive runs in the opening minutes, and Reals Chris Schuler slid in from behind to knock the ball off Donovans foot at the goalmouth in the 42nd minute. But Franklin thrilled the Galaxys lively sellout crowd in the 47th minute when he collected an errant pass from Keane well outside the penalty area and put a rocket of a shot inside Nick Rimandos left post. Franklin, a stalwart defender, hadnt scored since May 26. "The ball just came out on top of the box, and I had time and space to hit it," Franklin said. "Once I opened my eyes up, the ball was in the back of the net." Real had its best chance in the 80th minute, but substitute forward Devon Sandoval fell down on contact with a Los Angeles defender while closing in on Luis Gils pass in front of the Galaxy goal. Los Angeles entered the playoffs unbeaten in four straight games after allowing just one goal in its entire October schedule. The Galaxy have never lost in the two-leg conference semifinals since MLS adopted the playoff format in 2003, advancing eight times. These clubs met in the MLS Cup final in 2009, with Real Salt Lake winning its only league title on penalty kicks. Cheap Nike Free China Wholesale . Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday. Discount Nike Free . Villar connected off Joe Saunders (11-14), sending a drive well over the left-field fence for his first career homer. The Astros scored six times in the first three innings to chase Saunders. http://www.wholesalenikefree.com/. But history aside, theyre still happy to participate in the Par 3 contest, traditionally held on the day prior to the first round of the Masters. Nike Free Clearance . 5 Trade Deadline isnt that far away and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Cheap Nike Free With Free Shipping .com) - Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight was carted off the field in the fourth quarter of 16th-ranked Sooners 48-14 loss to No.MELBOURNE, Australia -- A rusty Novak Djokovic began his bid for a fourth consecutive Australian Open title on Monday with a win over Lukas Lacko while Serena Williams looked as polished as ever beating Australian teenager Ashleigh Barty. With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. But as the second-seeded Djokovics patience level began to drop, his skill level stepped up. He stayed on course for a fifth Australian title with a 6-5, 7-6 (2), 6-1 win, hoping to be the first man to achieve that feat since the Open Era began in 1968. Top-ranked Williams won her 23rd consecutive match -- including 18 at the end of last season and four last week in winning the Brisbane International -- after beating Barty 6-2, 6-1 in 57 minutes. "You have to be ready," Williams said. "She had nothing to lose." Williams continues to be in rarified territory. Her Brisbane title was the 58th of her career -- she won 11 last year, including the French Open and U.S. Open. A five-time winner of the Australian Open, shes trying to end Victoria Azarenkas two-year run as womens champion at Melbourne Park. Williams won 10 of 11 points at the net during the Barty match, but tried to dowse expectations that shell vacate her usual place at the baseline. "In my mind Ive been at the net (previously), but now Im physically going there a little more," Williams said. "No pressure. My next match I might stay at the baseline the whole time. Its nothing Im permanently working on. Im just trying to have fun and do what I want to do out there." Djokovic also had a strong finish to 2013, entering the tournament on a 24-match winning streak, which followed his loss to Rafael Nadal in last years U.S. Open final. Hes now also on a 22-match winning streak at Melbourne Park. "It is the first competitive match Ive had this season, I havent played for five or six weeks," Djokovic said. "I was a bit rusty on the court the first two sets. Afterwards it was all working well."t; Serenas sister, Venus Williams, started well earlier Monday but unforced errors in two key periods in her match sent the seven-time major winner out of the tournament.dddddddddddd The elder Williams missed a break-point chance in the sixth game and then, after getting to 40-30 on serve in the ninth, inexplicably fired three consecutive double-faults to surrender a break and just about the set to No. 22-seeded Ekaterina Makarova. She took a 3-0 lead in the third before her unforced error toll climbed to 56 and Makarova won six of the next seven games for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win. The 33-year-old Venus Williams, the second-oldest player in the tournament, has struggled with injuries and illness in recent seasons but reached the final of the WTA event at Auckland to start 2014 and came to Melbourne saying she was feeling better than she had in years. "The last 12 months I have had issues," she said. "But this year I definitely am looking forward to having a good run and feeling well." Three-highly-ranked players were beaten in the first round, including 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and two Italians, No. 7 Sara Errani and No. 12 Roberta Vinci. Sixth-seeded Kvitova lost 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 to No. 88-ranked Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand, who was playing in just her second Grand Slam tournament. Womens winners included two-time Australian Open finalist Li Na, Wimbledon semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens, No. 9 Angelique Kerber, 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur, No. 14 Ana Ivanovic, No. 26 Lucie Safarova, No. 28 Flavia Pennetta, No. 30 Eugenie Bouchard and No. 31 Daniela Hantuchova. Eighth-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka, who won the recent Chennai Open, was the first man into the next round, advancing after just 15 games when Andrey Golubev retired with an injured left leg. Other winners were third-ranked David Ferrer, No. 7 Tomas Berdych, No. 9 Richard Gasquet, No. 14 Mikhail Youzhny, No. 17 Tommy Robredo, No. 19 Kevin Anderson, No. 23 Ernests Gulbis, No. 29 Jeremy Chardy, No. 32 Ivan Dodig and American Sam Querrey. On Tuesday, in the tougher top half the mens draw, top-seeded Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and Roger Federer are all in action. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '