One streak is over, but another streak is quickly developing.
The Colorado Rapids were on a six-match winless streak heading into Saturday night’s contest with the LA Galaxy at, while the Galaxy entered the match having lost back to back games. When 90 minutes were up, it was the Rapids that got to breathe a sigh of relief. Goals from Diego Rubio and former Galaxy striker Gyasi Zardes helped the Rapids snap out of it’s funk and also sent the Galaxy to its third straight loss with the 2-0 decision.
“I think we are all disappointed with the performance tonight because tonight’s performance is, I don’t think a real representation of who we are as a team,” said Galaxy midfielder Sacha Kljestan. “That was a, I think a pretty bad performance, we can all put our hands up and say that –me, first and foremost. So yeah, we got some work to do.”
The Rapids edged ahead in the 20th minute. Danny Wilson launched a long ball down the left side of the field, Jonathan Lewis beat Nick DePuy to the ball, waited for help to arrive, which it did, Lewis then passed to Rubio just outside the top of the penalty area, Rubio took a touch, then fired the right-footed volley that beat keeper Jonathan Bond far post. The Rapids thought they had a second goal five minutes later. Colorado doubled its lead when Bryan Acosta sent a corner kick into the penalty area and Zardes headed a ball past Bond near post. The goal however was waived on video review, which showed Keegan Rosenberry to be in an offside position when Acosta sent in the corner.
The Rapids had to wait until the 75th minute to get that second goal. Jonathan Lewis dribbled inside the penalty area, then back-heeled a ball to Zardes, and this time, he would not be denied the opportunity to score against his former team, as he slotted the right-footed volley past Bond far post.
“They’re very direct in their approach;” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said of the Rapids. “You can see just center backs dropping balls in behind our backline to guys that are just running off us. You saw that a lot in the transition and early in the game, which softens up the backline, and then our front guys are trying to organize getting pressure to the ball because they’re trying to make it clear for the back group.”
Both teams did have chances themselves earlier in the match. Zardes nearly put Colorado ahead in the match, as Lucas Esteves sent a ball that landed perfectly at the feet of Zardes, who touched into the penalty area, then took another touch to get past Bond, and immediately sent a ball towards the empty net, but Galaxy Center Back Derrick Williams stayed with the play and cleared the ball at the goal line.
