Soccer-Sounders hang on to squeeze past Dallas on away goals

Nov 10 (Reuters) - The Seattle Sounders will meet the LA Galaxy in the MLS Western Conference Finals after grinding out a 0-0 home draw with FC Dallas on Monday to advance from their semi-final on the away goals rule. After the teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the opening leg in Dallas, the scoreless draw was enough for top-seeded Seattle to advance. The Sounders are the first Supporters Shield winners (highest points scorers in the regular season) to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs in three years and they remain on course to become the first team ever to sweep season honours after also winning the U.S. Open Cup. Despite numerous chances, especially in a frantic second half, neither side could break the deadlock, with Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz making some quality saves to keep the visitor's chances alive. Dallas pushed forward late on but Seattle held firm under increasingly intense pressure. "We tried to play on the front foot and tried to get more than one goal but tonight we couldn't get it in the back of the net, I couldn't buy a goal tonight," Sounders forward Clint Dempsey told ESPN. "They played well but I thought our defence played well and I thought 0-0 was a fair result. Seattle will be sweating on the fitness of midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, the scorer of the decisive away goal in the first leg, who limped off in the 55th minute with a hamstring injury. The first leg of the Western Conference Finals is in Seattle on Nov. 23. "They are a tough team and they have a lot of quality on their side but at the same time we believe in ourselves as well," Dempsey said of LA Galaxy. "We have had a good season. We won the U.S. Open Cup, we won the Supporters Shield, so we feel confident when we are playing at our best." The New York Red Bulls take on New England Revolution in he Eastern Conference Finals. (Writing by Ben Everill in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)