Dedi Ben Dayan's first goal of the season was more than enough to power the Colorado Rapids to a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday evening at Invesco Field. The Rapids dominated every facet of the game over the slumping Galaxy who matched a club record for consecutive losses with the result.
Ben Dayan's goal from a corner kick in the first half stood up as the Galaxy completed the month of May without scoring. Their club record scoreless streak now stands at 480 minutes -- just 77 minutes of the all-time MLS record set last year by expansion club Real Salt Lake.
The game started with a literal bang in the second minute, as the Galaxy's Kyle Martino went studs up into a challenge with Rapids defender Aitor Karanka. Referee Jozef Batko, in his first MLS game, wasted no time in showing Martino a yellow card.
The first chance of the game fell to the Rapids, who controlled much of the play in the early going. In the fourth minute a Terry Cooke shot from the top of the penalty area just went wide of both diving 'keeper Steve Cronin and the right post.
Ben Dayan had the first of his several chances in the 15th minute. A pass cut back from the end line via Eric Denton led to Dedi's shot from the top of the box that was just barely over the bar. Then just after, a Cooke cross from the right wing was well placed for a Dedi header that again just barely went over the bar.
The flurry of Rapids chances continued in the 23rd minute with some individual flair from Cooke. His pretty outside-of-the-foot first touch sent him past Martino, but his shot went well wide of the goal. Then in the 26th minute, a header from Jovan Kirovski from a Hunter Freeman cross continued the Rapids' offensive dominance, but it went well wide left.
The Galaxy seemed impotent on offense for most of the game, as they had very little midfield possession. When they did get the ball, their only attacking idea seemed to be to send long balls forward to their streaking forwards, who were often offside.
A goalkeeping gaffe in the 20th minute nearly led to the first goal of the game. Cronin spilled a shot and the ball bounced to right to Cooke, but his hasty shot was mishit high and wide.
In the 32nd minute a great tackle from Dedi allowed him to storm down the left wing all alone. His shot, from inside the box, was well saved by Cronin.
Finally, in the 33rd minute, Dedi's persistence paid off with a goal. On a Cooke corner kick from the right, Dedi managed to slip inside of Ugo Ihemelu and volley the ball into the back of the net.
After the break, despite being down a goal, the Galaxy did little to greatly trouble the Rapids back four. The home side had a great offensive sequence in the 57th minute, when a monstrous Petke tackle at midfield led to a quick pass from Clint Mathis to a streaking Jacob Peterson. But Peterson's shot was blocked by Galaxy center back Tyrone Marshall.
There was a brief moment of excitement in the 79th minute as Gomez went down hard clutching his side after charging at Rapids goalie Bouna Coundoul for a 50-50 ball. Petke took exception at what he thought was Gomez's bad acting, which led to some jawing and pushing between the two players, who both earned yellow cards for their efforts.
The Galaxy did have a pair of good chances over the final five minutes. First, in the 86th minute, they won a free kick just outside of the box, but the restart went well right for a goal kick.
Then some last minute excitement nearly led to a Galaxy equalizer. A cross pinged around the box, off Petke and almost spun into the goal, before it was smothered by Coundoul.
The 1-0 loss gave the Galaxy's their fifth defeat in a row, matching the club record set from Aug. 11-28 in the first-ever MLS season in 1996.
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
