CARSON, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Galaxy will remain in the playoff hunt for at least one more week as they defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-2 Sunday evening at The Home Depot Center.
Edson Buddle and Cory Gibbs traded goals in the first half, then an own goal from Rapids defender Ugo Ihemelu and a goal-of-the-week candidate from Brandon McDonald gave the Galaxy the lead for good, before Tom McManus scored a late penalty for the visitors.
With the win, the Galaxy now have 32 points, and sit just four points out of third place in the Western Conference and the final playoff spot with two matches left to play. The Rapids are just two points ahead of the Galaxy, with both teams currently out of the top eight.
The game was almost blown wide open just 30 seconds in when McManus split the Galaxy defense inside the area and got a shot past Galaxy 'keeper Josh Saunders. Luckily for the Galaxy, Sean Franklin was tracking back, and managed to clear the ball off the line.
After the scare, the game quickly became a battle of attrition in the midfield, as neither team was able to produce much in the way of offense for the next 20 minutes. The Galaxy finally saw their first chance in the 23rd minute. A goalmouth scramble and collision led to a free header for Alan Gordon, who put his effort past goalkeeper Preston Burpo. But Ihemelu was there to clear the ball off the line and keep the score level.
The Galaxy continued to press, and in the 30th minute, Eddie Lewis whipped a cross to the near post. Bryan Jordan knifed inside his defender and put a diving header on frame, but Burpo was there to make the save.
Three minutes later, the Galaxy made a breakthrough, when Franklin found Buddle at the top of the area. Buddle took a couple of touches to bring the ball under control, and then from just inside the 18, fired a low shot past Burpo and inside the near post.
However, the Galaxy's lead would be relatively short lived. With the half winding down, the Rapids won a corner kick. Terry Cooke stepped up and found Cory Gibbs lurking at the edge of the six. The former U.S. international dove forward and hit a glancing header that found the side netting inside the back post, and leveled the score going into the locker room.
Colorado came back out the better side, and nearly took the lead just three minutes into the second half. Colin Clark found some space on the left side, and played a ball into the area. McManus won a header that beat Saunders, but nicked the outside of the post.
The Galaxy responded quickly, and moments later challenged the Colorado goal with a header of their own. Lewis sprung himself loose down the left side and hit a looping ball to the center. Jordan rose up above everyone, but couldn't generate much power on his shot, leaving Burpo with an easy save.
With the match starting to tighten up, and Colorado starting to take control of the momentum, Galaxy boss Bruce Arena went to his bench, bringing on Landon Donovan in the 63rd minute.
The move didn't have any immediate impact, and it was Colorado that forced the next big save of the night. Clark continued to terrorize the right side of the Galaxy defense, and found McManus with another cross to the back post. McManus brought the ball down and put a volley on target, but Saunders had come off his line and made himself big to make the save.
Against the run of play, the Galaxy took the lead in the 70th minute. Jordan won a free kick on the right flank, and Lewis sent a dangerous ball into the area. With a rush of players running onto the ball, it was Ihemelu that knocked the ball into his own net with his chest from inside the goal area.
McDonald doubled the advantage ten minutes later in emphatic fashion. Los Angeles forced a turnover in the midfield and McDonald received the ball. With nobody closing him down, the rookie ripped a right-footed screamer from about 35 yards out that blew right past Burpo and into the upper right corner.
The Rapids drew one back from the penalty spot in the 88th minute. The penalty decision was made when Franklin was deemed by referee Michael Kennedy to have handled the ball in the area while defending a cross. The call met with some real disapproval, but nonetheless, McManus stepped up to the spot and buried it the kick to make the final minutes a bit more exciting.
But the Galaxy killed off the remainder of the match to secure just their second win in their last 16 contests. Next up for LA is a road trip to Houston, in another must-win match next Saturday to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Rapids will remain at The Home Depot Center for their next match, taking on Chivas USA, also next Saturday.
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