Galaxy/Rapids Open Cup rb

The running blog is stretching right now, kicking a few balls back and forth for warm-up.

Rapids: Preston Burpo, Kosuke Kimura, Stephen Keel, Rafael Gomes, Jordan Harvey, Terry Cooke, Mehdi Ballouchy, Nick LaBrocca, Colin Clark, Conor Casey, Tom McManus

Galaxy: Steve Cronin, Chris Klein, Abel Xavier, Sean Franklin, Ante Jazic, Brandon McDonald, Peter Vagenas, Ely Allen, Carlos Ruiz, Edson Buddle, Alan Gordon.

The Galaxy have sold seats in the upper deck of the stadium, which I think is a bad idea - just make all the tickets ten bucks and let people sit anywhere they want.
Players are walking in now. Press box is discussing how Ruud Gullit has put out a strong lineup. Anthem. So many people in the stands are wearing the Galaxy warm-up jackets that it looks like they could storm the field and play if the team isn't doing a good job. It's also chilly, hence the jackets. Though they are covered up pretty well, there are some strange lines on the field. There was a lacrosse game here Sunday.
Kickoff!
2 - Galaxy attack but the Rapids let the ball go out for a goal kick.
3 - Galaxy FK into the box, where Stephen Keel nearly heads into his own goal, Stone puts it out for a corner, which Alan Gordon knocks down a header to Buddle, who flicks a pass behind him - to the Rapids defense.
6 - Ball possession problems on both sides, but the Galaxy prevail just a bit more to get the ball into Rapids territory, but aren't able to get a shot off.
7 - Ruiz beats Burpo to a long pass in the box; as the two collide, Ruiz gets enough on the ball to sent it towards goal, where Keel chases it down to clear off the line. Close call.
10 - Pete V, long absent from the starting lineup, is making good passes to help the G's hold midfield well. It's in the link-up to the attack that the Galaxy are faltering.
11 - Shot by the rapids - Cronin has it covered, though it's a bit wide as well.
12 - Yellow for McManus, for charging in on an Abel Xavier kick.
14 - ACB and the Riot Squad are doing an across the field call and response "LA!" "Galaxy!" Pretty cool. Corner kick for the Galaxy comes to nothing.
16 - Ely in the box nearly strips Kimura of a long pass, but Kimura just barely escapes danger.
18 - Rapids slowly advancing from their end of the field more often.
20 - The Galaxy are missing the killer final pass of Becks or LD. They are working the ball upfield, but not getting service to the strikers at the right time or place.
21 - Rapids put together a run of possession and attack just noe, but like the Galaxy, lacked the shot set up. Galaxy back in Colorado ground on the counter. Pass reaches Ruiz in the box, but he has to lean backward for the header and it pops high for a clearance.
23 - Ruiz is down briefly, but seems alright.
25 - McDonny with a shot - wide. He was on a counter run, but still outside the box for that one.
26 - Pete and Mehdi clash for the ball - it looks like Pete wins it clean, but the ref, Janon Anno, blows for a foul. Crowd unhappy with that call.
28 - Klein fired three crosses in a row in to the box, thanks to the play of Pete to keep winning the ball back, but no one connects. McDonald should have on one, but Klein's crosses don't exactly have the quality of Becks.
30 - Shot by McDonald! Soo close. it just curved slightly away from the post.
32 - Ball free in the Galaxy box - oh, Croning scoops it up. The Galaxy have had the upper had, but the longer the Rapids escape, the more frustrated LA will get.
35 - It's back and forth in the midfield right now. One great play or one slight defensive bobble could decide this. Xavier heads a cross away on a Rapids counter.
36 - Buddle off the post! Burpo dives and misses, the ball hits him and he nearly gives up an own goal. On the corner, the Galaxy argue that Burpo palmed the ball out, but the ref saw it hit a Galaxy players leg, apparently.
38 - Clarke shoots, Cronin blocks but can't hang on, galaxy manage to clear the ball.
39 - CK for the Rapids, Galaxy clear for a deep throw.
40 - Galaxy on the counter, cross to Ruiz, ref blows for a handball.
41 - RUIZ! From midfield, he shoots, catching Burpo off his line, Burpo runs backward and falls - ball goes off the frigging POST! Unbecredible, as Ravelli would say. That would have been Beckham-esque.
43 - Ely slid into someone and got a yellow, though he seems the one hurt.
44 - Rapids FK hits wall, but ref blows for handball. moving the subsequent FK much closer to goal - SAVE - Cronin.
45+ Klein overhits two forwards with another cross.
Ruud subs Allen for Randolph. I think Ely might be hurt.
Halftime - The Galaxy should be leading by a couple, but now there is all to play for in the second half.
BREAKING NEWS - Ely has been diagnosed with a concussion.
46 - Jazic is in for the Galaxy.
47 - Galaxy FK - oh if only Becks. . . . Pete sends a decent ball that Abel gets a head on, Burpo catches.
49 - Yellow for Nick LaBrocca - he kept standing in front of the Galaxy FKs.
50 - Pete serves ball it, gets knocked out to Randolph, who slips in a great pass that Gordon manages to miss on the doorstep of the goal. So close again.
53 - Rapids on the attack. McManus sends outside shot wide. I think his 40-yarder, which is winning Goal of the Week, might have swelled his head a bit.
55 - Killer instinct - it is lacking among the LA players right now. Xavi with dangerous packpass to Cronin, who barely clears against an attacker. Play it forward.
57 - The longer the Rapids hang around with the game in the balance, the better it is for them, because they can send a fast forward like Herc to burn the defense.
58 - Rapids corner - cleared.
60 - Pete slips, misses the ball, Rapids attack, Cooke has the ball on the right - cross! Galaxy barely clear.
62 - Galaxy CK, Pete takes and McDonald heads just barely wide.
Izzy going in. Israel Sesay in for Ruiz.
64 - Colorado FK out for goalkick.
66 - Galaxy again controlling most of play - again not finding final pass. Mehdi on the counter tried to catch Cronin off his line - misses high by about ten feet over the goal.
67 - Gordon clips LaBrocca from behind - gets yellow. MacManus is out, Omar Cummings is in.
68 - Clarke shoots, it's deflected wide for corner, Cronin comes out and catches the cross.
70 The Galaxy are losing sharpness as the game goes on. Ciaran O'Brien is on for Clarke. Crowd boos, remembering his hit on Ruiz at the season opener.
71 - Gomes gets a yellow for pulling down a Galaxy player on the counter. The Galaxy are all around the box, but keep mistiming runs and crosses for the final shot. Pete finally winds one up from outside, but it gets deflected.
72 - Josh Tudela in for Brandon McDonald. the Galaxy lose strength in midfield with that mover, because Pete is not an enforcer.
73 - Iz called offside. Crowd hated that call. Looked on, really.
74 - Casey nearly finishes it - shooting/crossing across the face of the goal. The Rapids then reel off a corner and two shots. The Galaxy can't clear, but they do deflect one and Cronin comes up with a pretty good save on another. The Rapids have all the momentum, now, though.
76 - They're coming at the Galaxy hard, again, Casey earns another deep throw - Cooke just waiting for the chance to cross - but Randolph steals the ball, Rapids counter again, Cooke crosses, Cronin punches out!
78 - Rapids circle the Galaxy goal like vultures. The Galaxy are trying to work the ball out past midfield. Nothing doing.
79 - IZ! Randolph on the counter uses his speed to creat space and sends in a great cross, but Iz just clean misses it. Wow.
81 - Cronin poor clearance leaves Rapids near goal - then the Galaxy D gives up a FK in a prime spot.
Casey cracks a header on goal, nice and low, and Cronin atones by getting down for the grab.
82 - GOAL! Casey makes no mistake this time, while Cronin hesitated, stepping out for Cooke's cross, then backing off on it, while the Galaxy D didn't shoulder off Casey. 1-0. Rapids.
85 - A tired Buddle is stuck in the corner, unable to get a cross off. He finally knocks the ball to Randolph, who botches it completely.
87 - The Galaxy are attacking, but everything they do looks frantic right now, and they are overhitting a lot of passes.
88 - Galaxy CK - Gordon is up for it, gets good contact - it's wide. Cesar Zambrano coming in for the goalscorer, Casey.
90 - Cummings holding the ball up well every time the Rapids regain possession. He draws a FK, then a corner.
90 + Cooke gets a yellow card - for time wasting? I'm not sure. Gordon draws a FK on the other end. This could be the last chance for the Galaxy. Herc is on for Cooke. Pete serves, it's good, Gordon goes up for it - his header is wide.
Colorado holding the ball well, galaxy with one last attack - Xavid serves ball in, out for throw. Into box, Rapids clear.
Final whistle. Crowd boos the result for a bit, then pounds the drums for the Galaxy players. The Rapids will now play Kansas City on June 4th for the right to officially enter the Open Cup. The Galaxy meanwhile, are out of all competitions this year - other than league play. If this was a preview of the team without LD and Becks well, to be fair, they still created a lot of chances, more so than the Rapids. But close ain't cutting it.