Rapids/Galaxy running blog

Colorado has been hit heavy by injuries. They've got a very young lineup in. No Ugo or Herc.
The Galaxy have Ruiz, Donovan and Beckham, all their big guns, out there.
3 - Colin Clark beats the LA defense, but his cross goes out. Doesn't bode well for the LA D, though, already criticized for being old and slow.
5 - Touches are a bit off for both teams. The Galaxy don't show the cohesiveness in attack of the Revs. In fact, they hold off a Rapids attack in the box - Steve Cronin catches the ball.
7 - The altitude isn't going to help Landon or Becks recover from jet lag. Ruiz may be the one who comes through. Ely Allen wins a good ball, gets it to Becks, long pass to Ruiz, he goes far post, but not much on the ball, Bouna Coundoul saves.
11- GOAL! Pete can't get the ball from Christian Gomez, falls down, then Xavier fouls CG. Christian sends in the FK - it's as excellent as he usually hits, bisects the wall, off the post, falls to Terry Cooke, who first-times it into the net past Cronin. Yowzer! 1-0 Colorado.
15 - Clavijo may be coaching his way out of danger. The Rapids may be reaping the benefits of good reserve play (they won the reserve league twice) here, because their players look comfortable.
17- Jose Burciaga charges upfield and lets loose from long distance.
18 - Beckham cross to the box cut off by Coundoul.
21 - Galaxy working the ball around, trying to find space in the tight, pressuring Rapids defense.
23 - Pires earns the Galaxy a FK with a surging run. Beckham takes, Coundoul catches. Rapids counter, but the Galaxy recover.
26 - Donovan and Ruiz interchange, DiRaimondo fouls Ruiz. Long FK for Becks, but he gets the ball to Donovan -almost - Coundoul picks it off .
27 - Another FK - it's in the box, pops out, Donovan heads it back in, Bouna catches.
28 - Galaxy FK - Becks takes, Erpen touches it out before Ruiz can get there. Corner.
29 - Donovan takes the corner - goes far post - misses pretty much everybody, though. Too high.
30 - The Galaxy had a decent run of possession there, but it appeared very deliberate and slow - not dynamic. This squad has yet to gel. Becks crosses for Ruiz, Erpen heads it away, out for a throw. The Galaxy work the ball around, then Gavin kicks too long, out for a goal kick.
33 - Basic possession seems to be such an issue for the Galaxy. They work so long and hard just to hang on to the ball, let alone push it forward - Beckham sends a long pass to lead out both Donovan and Ruiz. Coundoul goes down battling for it. Hangs on.
36 - Bouna bleeding a bit, but he swishes his mouth out and looks ok. It might be that he bit his lip in the fall.
38 - Colorado counter! Gomez sends the ball forward, it's crossed to Clark, Vanney just hits it off Clark to go out. So close to the second.
39 - Colorado corner. It's cleared, Donovan loses the ball, Gomez gets it, shoots, Cronin barely punches it over. Colorado corner. Cleared.
42 - Deep Galaxy throw. Colorado counter. Cooke can't beat Gavin for a cross, but the Rapids to keep the ball to provoke a foul and then a FK. Good position. Pete heads the service away for a FT.
44- Galaxy D hassle Cummings into putting the ball out. GK. Ruiz gets fouled near midfield. Beckham serves it in - HOW IS THAT NOT A GOAL? The ball gets to Donovan, who beats Coundoul's dive, lays it back for Ely Allen. On the replay, though, it was tough for Allen to poke the ball in - A Rapids defender was well-placed to hold him off, even as the ball bounced invitingly close.
45 - Beckham puts in another excellent ball for Ruiz - who is very close to making contact to score, but just misses. The Galaxy are gaining momentum, but the Rapids escape to halftime with their lead intact.

LB here, interjecting on AC's great running blog. Some on-the-site observations: it's cold but not as cold as I thought it would be. The press box here is out in the open so I'm prepared for a chilly evening but so far it hasn't delivered. Landon and Carlos aren't connecting but they haven't played much together, in fact, it's the first time they've played in the same game together and it shows. Beckham's had some chances but the Rapids are doing well to turn away the crosses, well, most of them. However, the Rapids are giving up a lot of free kicks in their own third, and they're playing with fire there. The atmosphere is, well, not quite as amped up as it should be. The stands are packed but it's been fairly quiet. Okay, off to the warmth of the indoors for a few minutes before the second half starts.

And now, back to AC ...

Hi Luis! Nice to have you pop in for a visit.
48 - Gavin in on the attack - but the ball pops out on him for a GK. Alan Gordon is in for Allen.
49 - Brandon McDonald is in for the Galaxy.
50 - Gordon fouls Gomez, who goes down very hard.
52 - Passes going awry for the Galaxy - they're not in sync and give up a corner. Cooke sets up. It's cleared.
57 - Ruiz caught offsides. It was a good run, but the connection problems of the Galaxy continue.
58 - A PK!? Wow. I didn't see that. Xavier poked at the ball from behind Cummings, who kept his feet, but Abbe Okulaja blew the whistle immediately. Huh. It's both amazing that that PK was called, but especially amazing that Abbe called it. He usually is leaning very far to the other side - calling very few fouls. Xavier is livid. Becks hold him off, even as he argues, too. Landon is yelling at Abbe.
59 - It's to no avail. Gomez takes the PK. He's very good at these. He sends Cronin the wrong way. GOAL. 2-0. Rapids.
Ruud is upset, yet trying to calm his players at the same time.
61 - Pires to Gordon in the box - but Coundoul is out to smother the shot.
Fox loses signal. Or my cable company does. No fun.
65 - Troy Roberts coming in for Michael Gavin. Colorado has yet to make a sub.
67 - But why mess with what is clearly working? GOAL! Colorado counter impeccably - Cooke to Cummings with a precise throughball that leaves Cronin exposed. He comes out fast, but Cummings evades his dive and pushes the ball into the open net. 3-0.
69 - Obviously, the Galaxy were pushing high to score, but they're getting spanked here.
72 - Herculez is in the game. He just got a yellow. This will confuse the announcers. Hey - Herc has his first name on his jersey again. Last year, the league made him put Gomez.
75 - Donovan in the box, can't put the ball in against Coundoul, out for corner, cleared.
78 - Galaxy knocking it around more calmly. They're looking to learn, perhaps from this match, take a consolation goal. But Colorado still on the attack. They launch a counter. Cronin catches the shot.
80 - GOAL! Colin Clark beats Xavier on the dribble, Pires tries to cover, but Clark gets by him and puts it fast and low between the post and Cronin. 4-0.
This could match the Galaxy's worst defeat ever - in 2002 to New York, which was a 5-0 loss.
84 - Almost! Herc in the box, beats Cronin, shoots, but Xavier just footsaves it. Rebound to Terry Cooke - Galaxy defenders falling in the box. Finally, the ball gets cleared.
89 - Fernando Clavijo looks so happy. His job has been in jeopardy. Now a high-profile win.
90 - Xavier tackle - he gets in Abbe's face and it's a red!
Xavier is out of the game. The Galaxy are down to ten men. They clear the FK, Ruiz at least is still trying to play, he runs out the ball - oooh, tackle from behind. Cieran O'Brien. That seemed unnecessary. They're already up by four, and that was a scissor tackle. Ruiz goes down screaming, clutching his knee.
Landon is there two seconds later, screaming at O'Brien. He shoves him and yells. Defending Ruiz. LD might get carded out. Abbe restores order, finally, and then red cards O'Brien. LD still upset. Ruiz still on the ground. He gets stretchered off. That might be bad.
FK, Galaxy get a header - Gordon, I think, but it pops wide of goal.
Final Whistle