Friday, September 9, 2011

Galaxy - Rapids: Running Blog

And down the stretch they come! As the playoffs get closer, games matter more. The LA Galaxy, leaders in the Supporters' Shield race, take on the reigning MLS Cup Champions - the Colorado Rapids. 

1 - Cardozo sizzles a shot wide - opportunistic, but off-target. 
3 - Kyle's Keys for the game don't include any inside dirt from his days as a Galaxy player. No fun, K-Mart.
5- Beckham dinks a pass forward to no one in particular. Donovan clips Mastroeni, but the freekick that ensues doesn't do much. Dunivant passes forward to Franklin - whose header on goal is easily caught by the goalkeeper. Tough for Franklin to get much on it, given that Colorado Rapids defender Earls was in his way. 
7 - Some discussion of OG as a centerback prospect. I'll lose respect for Klinsmann if he doesn't call Omar in soon. 
9 - I'm not at the stadium, in case anyone is wondering. Had a job interview today and couldn't fit a trip to the stadium in as well.  So I'm listening to J.P Dellacamera and KMart at home. 
10 - No disrespect to 9-11 intended, but the announcers seem to have forgotten about the game. The moment of silence is over, guys. 
11 - Corner kick for the Rapids. Wells Thompon takes it, loops it in, but the Galaxy clear. 
13 - Marvell Wynne cuts off a pass intended for Chad Barrett. 
15 - Rapids putting pressure on the Galaxy goal, mostly by Folan. 
16 Cardozo draws a foul from Brian Mullan. Beckham bends it to goal, but Pickens punches it out.  
18 - Cardozo looking good this match. LD a little quiet, but then he fizzes up the field and sets up Franklin, who can't quite control his shot.  
19 - Juninho from distance didn't get over the ball well, and he skies it. 
21 - LD sets up Cardozo beautifully, who fires high and wide, ignoring an open Becks a few feet away. 
22 - After breaking Steve Zakuani's leg, Brian Mullan may not get a call for the rest of the season. 
23 - Would Bob Bradley be a good coach for Santos Laguna? He would work hard, that's for sure.  
25 - Cardozo fires on target, but Pickens has time and catches it.  
26 - Dunivant with a nice low header, but Pickens comes up with a great save.
27 - Decent cross from Barrett, but no LA players connect with a shot attempt.
29 - Cardozo with a nifty near post attempt, forces Pickens to get a low hand on it and give up a corner. 
Corner comes to nothing. 
30 - Becks long pass to LD, but Wynne hangs with him and breaks it up. 
31 - Cardozo is exciting to watch - one of the young foreign hopefuls in the league that make the game fun to follow.  
33 - Lawrentowicz tees it up from outside, but the low shot is stopped by Ricketts. 
35 - LA have been a bit wasteful. Good play, but no goals to show for it.  
36 - Nice interplay of one-touch passes by the Galaxy players ends up with Franklin setting up LD, and LD doesn't waste the chance - one-timing a hard low shot past Pickens. 
37- Wynne goes it alone until he's fouled for a freekick.
38 - OG goes on a run, nearly sets up a Galaxy goal, but Cardozo underhit his cross to Barrett.
39 - Kandji comes off for Nyassi.
40 - The Rapids seem really tentative in the final third.
42 - Rapids making a late push now, though.
44 - Beckham playing far, far back - he's behind OG now.
45 - My halftime plans? Walking the dog. He's been waiting patiently.  The Galaxy earn a late corner, but the Rapids are able to hold them off.

46 - Game back on. Galaxy have been clinical in everything but the finish. Well, aside from Donovan's goal. It's a pretty slim margin over Colorado, though, considering how well LA has played. However, if there's anything the Rapids learned from their championship run last year - never, ever, give up.
48 - DeLaGarza makes a timely header to deny Nyassi a shot on goal.
49 - Becks goes down lightly from a Marshall foul.
50 - Nifty Galaxy passing goes awry when Becks overestimates Jordan's speed.
51 - LD with a poor pass. It happens.
56 - Ooh, Rapids nearly tie it up, but Thompson is offside.
57 - Cardozo with another shot on goal, but Pickens stops it.
60 - Keane coming in for Barrett. Keane gets a good cheer.
61 - Mullen's good cross is wasted. No Conor Casey available.
63 - KMart with a good observation that Becks' passes might be due to his bad back.
64 - Cardozo's wily play earns a freekick in a good spot. Becks doesn't clear the wall.
65 - Keane earns the Galaxy a corner - bounces free for another corner. Becks fires the second way over. Ugh. Cummings coming in for the Rapids.
67 - Keane called for offside. Cardozo comes off for Magee. Good night for the young guy.
68 - OG fires a long ball like Becks. That is, like Becks tonight. Too far for Franklin to catch.
70 - Rapids freekick. Galaxy clear, but the Rapids get it back and Ricketts saves from close on Cummings- oh, offside flag was up anyway.
73 - Juninho down with some injury. Mikey Stephens comes in.
75 - Keane with a neat backheel to LD whose cross is fine but cut off.
76 - Juninho's injury is apparently a left hamstring cramp.  Magee fires off an outside shot. He basically can't do anything for the rest of the season without the announcers mentioning his stint in goal.
78 - Nyassi's hopeful chip from outside drifts way wide of the Galaxy goal.
79 - Just for fun - former Galaxy players on the Rapids team: Tyrone Marshall, Brian Mullan, hm, I guess that's it.
80 - Becks is clutching at his back. Where's Jovan Kirovski? Maybe Arena doesn't want to make a late sub and just expects David to hang in there for ten minutes more.
82 - Corner kick for the Rapids. Nyassi takes it. It's a good one, but it bounces out to Mullan, and he shoots fast and high and wide.
86 - Galaxy and Becks are hanging on.
88 - Becks feeds LD from distance. Pickens makes the save. The ending of this game is picking up speed.
90 - Back and forth for a bit. A late goal is very possible.
93 - Galaxy staying cool, though, managing the game.  And the Rapids are in the Galaxy box again - but it's too late! Final whistle blows. The Galaxy clinch a playoff spot.

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