Two weeks ago, the Colorado Rapids scored three first half goals to send the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 3-0 loss at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Galaxy turned the tables Saturday night, scoring three goals of their own in one half to notch their first league win in two months, a convincing 3-1 defeat of the Rapids at The Home Depot Center.
Alan Gordon, Edson Buddle and Kyle Martino each netted goals in the second half to pace the Galaxy to their first win since July 4 and put an end to not only an eight-game winless streak, but also a six-game losing streak. The loss put an end to a four-game unbeaten run for the Rapids, and also out of the playoff picture for the moment, tied for ninth place in the MLS overall standings.
Los Angeles came into the game needing a win to get things moving in the positive direction, trailing the Rapids by 14 points with 11 games to play heading into the night and with four games in hand, so the match really was a true six-pointer.
It took quite some time for either offense to show any signs of life in the first half. It wasn't until the 22nd minute that the first real threat on goal occurred. Cobi Jones received a throw in and passed off to Buddle. Buddle took the ball at the top corner of the 18, turned and ran past Brandon Prideaux. From close range Buddle shot toward the near post but Colorado 'keeper Bouna Coundoul made the save, knocking the ball out for a corner kick.
It took a quarter of an hour before the next shot was taken, but it was full throttle race to the end of the half after that. Prideaux stripped Kevin Harmse of the ball in midfield and carried it forward. When no Galaxy player attempted to close him down, Prideaux shot from the top of the 18, but Joe Cannon made the save look routine.
A minute later ex-Galaxy player Jovan Kirovski found Mehdi Ballouchy with a long diagonal ball out of midfield. Ballouchy directed his first touch toward net and dribbled into the penalty area. One on one with Cannon, Ballouchy shot the ball from close range, but put his effort over the crossbar.
The Galaxy responded in the 41st minute. Martino played an early cross into Gordon, who brought the ball down with his chest and fought through Ugo Ihemelu to get to the ball. With Coundoul charging hard off of his line, Gordon could only manage a lunging toe poke that hit Coundoul square in the chest.
After the quiet opening to the first half, it took less than a minute into the second half for LA to open the scoring. Pete Vagenas played a long ball over the top, and as the Rapids defense scrambled back, Coundoul came off his line to try and collect the ball. But the ball somehow skimmed past him, allowing Gordon to run onto it and tuck it into an empty net.
The Galaxy continued to press, and in the 55th minute, nearly got a second. Buddle won a header on a corner kick, beating Coundoul. Ballouchy was in perfect position however, clearing the ball off of the line. On the play, Coundoul aggravated an abdominal muscle injury that had occurred as Gordon scored his goal, and had to leave the game.
The Galaxy's dominance in the half stretched into the 61st minute. Buddle took the ball at the edge of the offensive third and took on a couple of defenders. He cut to his right, created space for himself and put a shot on goal, but Rapids substitute 'keeper Zach Thornton had no trouble with his first save of the night.
Thornton failed to have an answer for the next scoring opportunity. The Galaxy broke on a counterattack, and with the Colorado back line stretched, Jones sprung Buddle on a breakaway. With Thornton charging off of his line, Buddle took a cool touch to chip the ball over the 'keeper and into the back of the net.
The second goal brought Colorado to life and they almost made an immediate answer. Straight from the kickoff the Rapids pushed forward, and Kirovski laid a ball off to Herculez Gomez, whose shot from 18 yards out forced Cannon to make a great reaction save to keep it out of the net.
The track meet kicked off as Los Angeles was right back into the attack seconds later. Carlos Pavon, who had come in for Buddle right after his goal, received a long ball at the edge of the area. The Honduran settled the ball and fired from just inside of the penalty area, but missed wide of the back post.
The deluge of goals didn't let up, and in the 70th minute Martino added a third for Los Angeles. Chris Klein overlapped on the right and hooked in a cross to the back post where Martino dove to hit a driven header that snuck between Thornton and the near post.
Despite being down three goals, the Rapids put LA under fire in response. But the Galaxy defense stayed well organized, limiting the Rapids to a few long-range efforts that didn't really put much pressure on Cannon.
Colorado finally broke through in the 89th minute. Colorado won a free kick on the right flank just outside the penalty area. Cannon attempted to punch the ball clear, but didn't get all of it. The ball fell to Ballouchy, who unleashed a shot from just right on the edge the area that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net.
The goal was of small consolation, as Los Angeles held on to seal the win. The Galaxy moved to 17 points on the season, which still keeps them on the bottom of the league, but for the first time since July they have a result to build on.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
