COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids extended their Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs run following a dramatic finish to their Western Conference Semifinal series with the LA Galaxy, marked by a stunning opening goal, physical play and a standout performance by Tim Howard in a penalty shootout.
“Obviously it was a really emotional game,” Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni said post-game. “Having left LA 1-0 down, we were in a really good position to play here at home. We stuck to our game plan which was not conceding at home and bringing the altitude into play.”
From the first whistle, Colorado labored to find the goal that would level the series. In the 36th minute, the Rapids found that crucial goal when Shkelzen Gashi bomb from 40 yards out caught Galaxy ‘keeper Brian Rowe going the wrong way, kissing the post into the net to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead.
“I probably thought [that it was going to go over] as soon as he was striking it,” Mastroeni joked. “The one advantage I do have is I see him do that in training and I see him execute. He’s got a quick release and he tries to find little gaps to shoot from distance.”
“I think in moments like this, you don’t think too much,” Gashi said of the goal. “In this season, I’ve had a lot of shots, but it was the right moment.”
It marked a half in which Colorado dominated LA in chances created, but at a cost to the Rapids, who saw Gashi leave the game at the half with an ankle sprain following a collision with Galaxy fullback Ashley Cole late in the half.
Mastroeni confirmed with the media postgame that the Rapids designated player will undergo an MRI on Monday, but Gashi was hopeful that he would be able to play in Colorado’s next playoff series, which is scheduled to start on Nov. 20.
“I didn’t know if I made a foul or [Cole] made a foul, but it was a bad situation, because it was the end of the first half and my leg was tangled with his,” Gashi said of the play. “We went inside the locker room and I said I wanted to play, but when I made my first step, no chance.”
It was indicative of the physical play between the two teams shown throughout the match, although both Gashi and Marlon Hairston called the game “fair play” by referee Mark Geiger.
“We’re not a group of guys that blames the referee for any results or decisions made on the field,” Hairston said. “We had a lot of the ball today, so the referees didn’t have that much of an impact on the chances that we created. It’s always a tough job for those guys and we had to do our own today.”
Offensive chances continued to be heavily in favor of Colorado in the second half and into extra time, but despite out-shooting the Galaxy 15-6 through the course of play, Colorado were unable to find a second goal that would have sent their opponents home prior to the shootout.
“We set ourselves up wonderfully throughout the game and had some chances to really add to that lead,” Mastroeni said. “If not for some more poise in the finish, I think we would’ve doubled the score.”
Following two periods of extra time, Colorado saw another game changing performance from one of its Designated Players as the game went to penalties. Howard came up big with two saves in the shootout as the Rapids advanced 3-1 on penalties to secure a place in the Western Conference Finals.
“I think in big games, you need your big players to make big plays, whether it’s Tim Howard making saves, or Gashi scoring goals,” Mastroeni said. “You need your big players to step up and today, it was evident from that first whistle.”
