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.

Gary on the game

Gary Smith, the coach of the Rapids since Clavijo resigned in August.

Clavijo's done

It's probably not the way anyone wanted his tenure to end but Fernando Clavijo's days with the Colorado Rapids are over.

Clavijo resigned due to personal reasons as he and the Rapids reached some sort of mutual agreement that allowed the two to part ways.

Still, Clavijo probably shouldn't have been around this long to being with.

Colorado has been one of the most head-scratchingly irritating clubs in MLS in recent years. They always seem to have better talent than their record would indicate yet they've played in the Western Conference final in 2005 and 2006. Now, the latter is a byproduct of MLS' asinine playoff system more than anything but it's also probably what allowed Clavijo to stick around as long as he had.

Colorado has some great talent this year as well. Christian Gomez has been one of the league's best players for several seasons; Colin Clark looks like a future star that is on the cusp of a breakout season at times; Pablo Mastroeni is solid, Facundo Erpen, Herculez Gomez, Omar Cummings... some really solid talent but it hasn't come together.

That usually is a sign of the coach's ability to put the talent together, and yet Clavijo has stuck around.

On a personal level, it's tough to finish out a job this way and there seem to be some worries about his loved ones.

On a soccer level, this move is nearly two years too late. Who knows how the players will react? It's good an assistant is taking over as there is some sort of stability but the players have just 10 games left to sort this one out.

Problems at DSG Park?

Let's see, this season thus far there have been issues with fans and security and yelling stuff and throwing stuff and all sorts of things across Major League Soccer. We've seen it boil over in Columbus, Toronto and New York.

So why not add Colorado to the list?

Apparently there were some sorts of problems at the Colorado-Columbus match on Sunday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. I'll let one of the fellow contributors to Around the Leauge in 90 Minutes explain as he did in the e-mail I received earlier today.


I'm sure it was noticeable that there was basically no noise in the stadium...not that our tiny supporters section makes it some kind of kop or anything, but something is better than nothing.

In any case I'm sure everyone is aware of the new rules the league handed down regarding streamers...and the video taping of supporters groups.

I want it to be known that we have had huge problems with stadium security and from our own front office. It really is a long and complicated problem, but I'll do my best to give you all the gist of it.

Security essentially interprets the rules differently on a game-to-game basis, and as a result they can essentially throw you out for anything. I was personally threatened ejection one game for questioning whether they had enforced the rules properly (I used no profanities or threats), and the security guy saw fit to call over the police and have me forcibly removed from the building. Any excuse to throw any of us out, they'll take it.

While we continue to have these problems, the Rapids Front Office stands idly by and does absolutely nothing. This is not like the problems in New York where the clubs hands are tied and they have little or no control over security...KSE (the Rapids ownership) has full control of the facility and can run it as they see fit, including the conduct of the stadium security. When it comes down to it, they really don't care about the supporters, I'd even go so far as to say they don't want us at all. This is the same front office that has told us that we are "replaceable" and that we make sections of the stadium "un-sellable".

So here is what happened in Sunday...we were trying out best to do our thing (drums, streamers, etc). A smoke bomb was lit in our section (and was shown on both the jumbo screen and the TV broadcast), this naturally alerted security. I do realize that smoke bombs are not allowed and why they don't allow them (funny that the Rapids use it in all their marketing though, pretending that they support some great fanbase). I did not light it, and I did not see who lit it.

You'd think security would find the perpetrator with their alleged CCTV and throw him out, nope. Instead they came down and basically started throwing everybody out. I didn't matter if we asked why or for what reason, or if we could see these "tapes", they just basically booted anybody that made eye contact. However have heard that the whole thing about cameras is a bunch of crap, and that they're not taping us at all.

In disgust the entire section pretty much walked out. By the final whistle there were 5 people left in the section. To my knowledge security threw out several people, not least a 13 year old kid who was looking for his parents. Two season ticket holders were also banned, and I'm sure several non-season ticket holders were also banned.

This is just an example of the kind of crap that happens every single home game. We try our best to bring atmosphere into that stadium, and we try to do the same things other groups around the league have been doing. You'd think with the new stadium and everything, our supporters group would grow. It hasn't. We have actually shrunk in size, we have fewer people at each game. We can't recruit new people because they get booted for nothing. It really is getting to the point where there may not even be a supporters section at all next year. This is quickly flying out of control (as if it already hasn't). They are killing the supporters. Its at the point where we may have to completely start over (again).

I'll admit we have the smallest, and possibly worst, supporters section in the league, its not like this is news to anybody else. Its not like we don't try to make it better. We try our best to make it better and nothing comes of it. I'm not writing this to whine and complain, or to look for sympathy. I want some advice. I want to save the section.

What have other groups done to try and improve things? We sure wont get any support from the front office, they don't care. We've met with them frequently and they tell us they'll make changes...and it never happens. Does anybody have any advice on how we can handle this. We're frankly running out of ideas.

Clavijo and Clark

Rapids fans, here's the entire post-game presser. Not really a whole lot different than the stuff below but I got the chance to ask Fernando Clavijo about the red card to Facundo Erpen and he had some interesting comments about it.

David Beckham postgame

David, David, Beckham - King of the wild game win.

Ely Allen postgame

Ely scored his first league goal.

Ruud postgame

The Dutchman says his bit.

Colin Clark postgame

I can't think of a song for Colin, but here's what he said after the match.

Clavijo postgame

There was something in the air that night, the stars so bright, Fernando.

Galaxy/Rapids running blog

This is hilarious. The Rapids are wearing blue shorts. Chivas USA shorts, to be specific. Apparently, the ariport lost one of the team's equipment bags, the one that holds their shorts.

Colorapids -

1 - Alan Gordon is down already, took a ball to the face. Yikes. Rafael Gomes was trying to clear the ball and it caught Gordo square.
3 - It took him a while, but he's up again.
4 - Galaxy FK. It's pretty far out, but the crowd is happy to see Becks standing over it.
GOAL! Becks serves it in perfectly, everybody misses it, but it lands at the feet of Buddle, kind of knocks off him and falls to Pires, who knocks it in. 1-0 Galaxy
6 -Rapids FK, hits off the wall, Rapids get it back, knock it over to Cooke, Randolph tackles it out for a corner.
Corner taken, defelcts out for a goal kick.
7 - The Galaxy have traditionally started poorly this year, so this is a switch, to have an early lead.
10 - Vagenas is back in a starting spot. This week, actually, Pete has been with the starting team. In practice, Joe Franchino tackled Pete late, and the two of them got into a scrum about it. I wasn't there, but other reporters are talking about it right now. They had to be pulled apart.
13 - Colin Clark is down, rolling around. Becks played a dangerous ball to Pires near there, and Pires was able to slide the ball to safety, but he and Clarke went down.
15 - the Galaxy have the lead, but they are in no way controlling the play. The Rapids aren't really either, but they do have the ball in the Galaxy's end more.
Becks goes for too much on a long pass, overshoots the outlet runners completely.
17 - Ely then gets inspired to go for too much, shooting from distance way over the goal after collecting a pass from Becks.
20 - Who knew Becks could dribble? he does in midfield, holding off Christian Gomez, with some moves.
22- the Galaxy are having trouble moving the ball. Passes keep going to the Rapids. Gomez to Peterson, cross in - headed wide. Galaxy lucky there.
24 - Corner for the Rapids, who are staring to impose their will on the game. Gomez takes the corner - it's in the mixer, Erpen gets a touch, it's blocked by Franklin and cleared.
26 - Another corner. Cronin punches at this one, ball flies high, but X gets the block as it comes down.
27 - Mike Randolph crosses into the box, Gordon looks like he gets pushed - no call. Burpo has the ball.
32 - GOAL Buddle! He gets the pass from Xavier and the even is on call from the ref with Erpen and comes in against Burpo. Puts it clean away to far post. 2-0 Galaxy.
33 - Gomez gets a yellow for dissent.
36 - Despite their lead, the Galaxy still have little rhythm or control.
37 - Becks passes to Gordon in the box, who gets shoved - no call again. Crowd is pissed. Gordo, too.
39 - Becks pass to Ely - but Burpo punches it out first.
41 - The Rapids are a very physical team, and the Galaxy have trouble against that.
44 - RED CARD - Gordon was shown a straight red for stomping on Erpen after Erpen had kicked him in the nuts.
45 - RED CARD - To Erpen. the thing is, Kevin Stott when tfor the red card just as the replay was showing, where Erpen clearly kicks for Gordon's groin. We're wondering if the replay helped the ref out there. It might have been the linesman, though.
45 + Becks to Buddle in the box - almost. Corner. Deflected for another corner. Gomez to Conor Casey on the counter, zooms past X, but gets stood up by Franklin.
Halftime - The Galaxy more or less deserve the lead, because they did put away their chances, but their defense and midfield shakiness means that no lead is safe. If the 2-0 lead is the most dangerous in soccer, even more so with this Galaxy D.
47 - If Burpo loses this game versus the Galaxy, it will be the first time he loses to them in four matchups.
50 GOAL! Buddle to Pete to Ely, slipping in behind the defense and facing up against Burpo. He slots it far post. 3-0 Galaxy.
54 - Off the post! McManus nearly pulled one back for the Rapids there. Hes got the armband for the Rapids, incidentally. Erpen gave it to McManus as he went off.
57 - Buddle gets a yellow. He punched the ball contesting for it outside the box with Burpo. Oh, well, Burpo then shoved Buddle. Actually, the yellow went to Burpo.
60 Ruiz! He comes in for Buddle. Omar Cummings is on for Colorado.
62 - Clarke takes a shot from just inside the box - it hooks over the bar.
63 - The Rapids look disjointed now. The pressbox blames the Chivas USA shorts.
65 - Franchino comes in for Ely.
66 - As the play moves up field, Pete gets taken down. Beckham puts the ball out so Pete can be attended to.
67 - Pete is done, sitting on the bench. Jazic is getting ready to come in. Ante's first MLS minutes this year.
69 - Cronin catches a cross well there. He wants a shutout. It would be only his second of the season.
70 Edson Buddle has a left thigh contusion.
72 - Pete Vagenas, meanwhile, has a right quad injury.
73 - Looked like Ruiz got nicked from behind, but the ref doesn't go for it.
74 - GOAL! Rapids on the counter. Omar Cummings faces up against Franklin, who defends well, Cummings passes to an onrushing Clarke, who cuts the ball against X and puts it away versus Cronin, who loses his shutout. 3-1 Galaxy.
76 - Cummings again! He shoots wide, but the Galaxy midfield is suddently full of holes.
77 - Clarke again in the box, having juked his way past Klein. The Galaxy defense is like a sieve. A low murmur rumbles through the Galaxy fans as Herc is introduced to the game in place of Gomes.
79 - Ruiz gets a long pass form Klein - he's in the box - tackled away. Back again, Ruiz gets ball to Becks, who crosses, but no one can get on it.
81 - Gomez in the box! He gets the pass and shoots. High.
82 - GOAL! Herc! He puts away the rebound from his own shot off a Clarke cross. 3-2 Galaxy hanging on by their fingernails.
84 - The press box is grumbing. They have to rewrite their articles.
85 - Fan on the field! He's quickly subdued. It was one of Beckham's personal bodyguards who wrestled him down.
86 - Galaxy desperately clearing balls out of their box. This game looks very shaky for them.
88 - Randolph is down in the box. He limps up.
89 - The Galaxy have their entire team back. if they give way here, I'm not sure the defense can be blamed. It's on the whole team.
90 - Becks knocks the ball out for a corner. I bet Luis there would be five minutes of stoppage and he didn't believe me. He thought, four, max. I was right.
90 + Colorado circling the Galaxy goal. Shot! Deflected for corner. It's cleared barely to the arc. Foul. Galaxy ball. Colorado on a long pass, Cronin is out of his box, knocks it out for a deep throw. Colorado takes it quickly. Galaxy counter. Ruiz and Becks on the give and go. Out for a deep throw. Ruiz and Becks combine fo keep it down there for a while, but the Rapids work it back out and win another corner. Last chance for the Rapids.
It's cleared.
Final whistle.
Damn, that was anything but a comfy win for the Galaxy. The players look busted.

Crappy replay

Had I known that Terry Cooke was going to whip in a nice cross from the right side and that Conor Casey was going to knock it into the goal, I would have had the camera rolling. Instead, I only recorded the replay on the scoreboard. I know, it sucks. But it's the replay of the goal and you can mostly tell what's happening - cross, header, goal, celebration, stunned defenders, game, set, match.

Rapids post-game stuff

As promised, here is post-game audio. Unfortunately, since my only post-game assignment was to cover the Rapids I only have quotes from Rapids players. It was actually a tag-team effort as MLSnet.com colleague Greg Daurio and I were the only two media members down in the presser. Fans aren't the only ones who stay away from these games, apparently.

Here's Fernando Clavijo's post-game comments as well as Conor Casey, who scored the goal eight minutes from time, and Preston Burpo, who just one week ago was still with San Jose, and still with not shot of playing regularly. Burpo's an odd cat, but I say that in a good way... mostly.

Post game reactions

Clavijo: We don't have a lot of stars, we have a real team.
Bouna Coundoul is in Senegal right now, so we were very fortunate to get someone with experience (Preston Burpo) and to get him a match and to show that he belongs there. It's a wonderful opportunity.

Ruud Gullit: I think today gave some people the chance to show themselves. Of course, it was a pity. The problem was in midfield. We couldn't control it. The players there are often on the bench. The post was against us in the first half. In the second half, we didn't play well at all.
What was good was to see the players who don't always get to play. The big miss for us was Alvaro - he's very important for us. He had a knee problem, so we had to rest him, knowing that we play Toronto on turf.
We had so many chances - we just didn't make it. But everyone is going to write that we can't play without those two (LD and Becks).
I'm disappointed by the fact that we're out.
The most important thing was the midfield. We were very weak in that department. In attacking we were ok.
The first half- Ruiz was ok - but he's not really fit yet. He did some good things, but real match fitness is something different.

By the way, 9,189 was the final crowd count.

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.

Galaxy-Rapids pre game

Welcome to HDC. We'll have lineups right here as they become available. The teams are warming up now (they came out about 10 minutes after I snapped this picture) so we should have the lineups soon enough.

On my way up to the press box, I was chatting with a colleague about the Galaxy and their Open Cup history. We couldn't quite remember Open Cup matches at the Rose Bowl, though we both attended Galaxy Open Cup matches at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, both as fans and media members.

I suppose I could just get out my Galaxy media guide and see the Galaxy's USOC history for myself, but what's the fun in that? I think I'll just ponder the history off and on all night.

Okay, now the lineups:

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

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

Stoning the Galaxy

Manning the goal for Colorado tonight will likely be someone who has never lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Okay, that's stretching it a bit because he's had just two games against LA but Preston Burpo did go 1-0-1 for Chivas USA in the games he played against the Galaxy. In those games, he allowed just one goal. Who scored it? Current Colorado teammate Herculez Gomez.

Preston was dealt to San Jose by Chivas USA and at first appeared to have a shot of starting for the expansion team until Joe Cannon moved north as well. Preston will now get his shot with Colorado as the Rapids needed cover for Bouna Coundoul, who is off with Senegal.

Opening up the cup

On Tuesday, the Galaxy will host Colorado in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match. The game, to my knowledge, won't be broadcast anywhere and the only radio that is available is of the Spanish-language kind. While that's fine for some Galaxy fans, others will be stuck in a precarious situation - not being able to attend the game, not being able to listen to it and wondering what's going on.

Just tune in here. We'll have a running blog going, the usual post-game audio from both sides and possibly video as well.

A year ago, we had a similar situation when New York came to LA to play the Galaxy in an Open Cup play-in match and that was one of the most thrilling experiences I've had. Our little blog was tiny back then but that game sort of helped get our blog out there. We had a running blog and I got some timely video as well, including Juan Pablo Angel's first MLS goal, which has gotten more than 20,000 views.

If you can make the game, great. It should be a cozy atmosphere out there. If not, visit us here and we'll be your eyes and ears.

Addition by subtraction

Jovan Kirovski spent several years playing in Europe and has worn the US national team shirt before. Perhaps it's those sorts of accomplishments that frustrates fans so much. He can show flashes of brilliance but more often than not he leaves fans scratching their heads.

Galaxy fans were glad to see him go and now Rapids fans are likely as glad to have him off their team. Colorado dealt Kirovski and Kelly Gray to San Jose for Preston Burpo and a draft pick. Funny how the trade involved former Galaxy players and a former Chivas player.

Anyway, Kirovski is now San Jose's, um, property? Problem? Gray is a good addition, provided he can stay healthy. But Kirovski might add more of the same as San Jose's offense has struggled to score goals. After Thursday's game, San Jose has six goals in eight games.

Burpo, meanwhile, might help out Colorado. He might even play soon as the Rapids will play the Galaxy on Tuesday at HDC in an Open Cup play-in match. "Stone" Burpo is a quality backup who could help out if need be.

Rapids/RSL running blog

Real Salt Lake versus the Colorado Rapids has as much deep-down animosity as any local rivalry MLS can muster.
I'm calling this one 2 -0 for the home team, because the MLS trend for teams at home has been pretty good. Gomez and Gomez with the goals.
Predictions open until kickoff.

Let's go. Kyle Beckerman is starting for RSL, of course, while the guy he was traded for, Mehdi Ballouchy, is on the bench. I've never been really high on Mehdi, myself. He's creative, but a bit delicate. Colorado got the worst of that trade, I think, but they're still ahead of RSL at this point, so perhaps Clavijo is doing something right.
RSL - Nick Rimando (GK) Tony Beltran Kyle Beckerman Nat Borchers Fabian Espindola Kenny Cutler Kenny Deuchar Chris Wingert Dema Kovalenko Matias Mantilla Andy Williams

Rimando reps UCLA's NCAA record championships in his player intro. Tony Beltran reps Claremont, which might be a first in pro sports. Kenny Duechar actually refers to his Dr. Goals nickname, which officially makes him the dorkiest doctor on the field.
Colorado: Bouna Coundoul Facundo Erpen Christian Gomez Omar Cummings Jacob Peterson6 - Herculez Gomez Ugo Ihemelu Nick LaBrocca Colin Clark Pablo Mastroeni Kosuke Kimura

Kickoff!
2-Colorado with the early run of play - Herc into the box, but his cross is cut off.
4 - I used to call Jacob Peterson "Blondie" because as a teenager, he was. Now his coif has darkened - he's more sandy-haired than blonde.
5 - Herc shanks a pass. Oddly, he seems to have switched sides since starting the match. His first cross was from the opposite side of the field.
8 - Facundo Erpen lines up an outside shot - but bangs it off the first RSL player in front of him. Weird idea.
10 RSL on the attack, but Beltran gets closed off from making the cross in the box and the ball crosses the goal line.
12- Beltran called for a holding foul, Christian Gomez flicks it to LaBrocca, who fires on goal, but Rimando isn't fooled and stays steady for the catch. RSL on the counter, but Duechar is offside.
14 - Peterson gets on the end of a longball on a counter, shoots far post, but Rimando palms it out for a corner. It's cleared.
15 - Espindola dribbles free for a shot from outside the box. Bouna's got it.
17 - Espindola and Kimura seem to bang legs and are in mutual hurt.
20 - Rapids end a nice little run of RSL possession and attack with a counter that Peterson wastes by not crossing the ball versus Wingert.
21 - Clark with an outside shot Rimando takes care of.
23 - Kovalenko floats a ball into the box, but nat Borcher's first touch fails him utterly and the Rapids clear.
24 - I know Luis loves JP Dellacamera, but JP needs to just call Herculez by that name. It's unclear which Gomez he means half the time, otherwise.
SAVE! The Rapids get a corner off their latest attack and Rimando parries an attempt well. The ensuing corner is cleared.
27 - Yellow for Wingert - tackle from behind Sandy.
28 - I'm also not sure about JP's pronounciation of "Mantilla" - he's saying it Argentine-style, where the double-l sounds like a "j" and it just sounds weird. Ha, Harkes just clarified which Gomez he meant. Just say "Herculez," guys.
29 - Dema runs right out of his shoe on an RSL attack that ends in a Beckerman shot that Bouna collects. Rapids come right back, though, and get a corner. It's cleared.
31 - RSL counter as well, get their own corner. "Man-tee-ja" as JP says, heads it wide.
33 - Mastro cross in box cut off by Rimando.
34 - Andy Williams serves a FK into the box and two RSL forwards miss it.
36 - Sandy and Clark have switched sides. Good team play generates a CK for the Rapids on Clark's side. It's cleared, though.
38 - ESPN interrupts the game to show the Fulham relegation-avoidance-goal. I guess they assume MLS fans care.
41 - I hear cheerleaders, which is a first for me watching MLS games. RSL corner. Bouna caught in a bad position as Duechar heads it down and Kimura dashes in to head ball away from the line. It might have gone wide, but it was a gutsy play by the Japanese defender, who falls into the net and seems a bit shaken up.
45+ - The Rapids have had the better of play, but there's no goal to show for it.
Halftime: The match is ripe for the picking Colorado is playing well, but RSL could steal it.
46 - Rapids on the attack - Christian Gomez leading it.
48 - Duechar offside on his header.
49 - Rapids counter - Clark in the box - but no one latches on to his low cross in front of goal. RSL right back, Williams in the box, but the Rapids defense clears.
52 - Rapids again controlling the play, but the RSL defense is holding and waiting for counter chances.
55 - Ooooh - Herc in the box, lays it back to Sandy, who gets a great cross in to Clark, who for some reason doesn't head it, but tries a Rockets girl high kick and sends the ball over the crossbar while standing right in front of net.
56 - Rimando out of the box clears a long ball with his head. Nifty.
58 - Omar takes on about five RSL players and gets a deep FT. RLS clear, though. RSL won their last game playing ugly. They might pull the trick off again.
59 - Rapids corner. Cleared.
61 - Great play by the Rapids, but missing the finish. Christian to Herc, whose cross goes to Omar, whose shot is wide.
RSL counter - Beckerman wide from distance.
63 - Herc feeds Pablo this time, laying the ball off at the top of the box, but Andy Will with a slight shove gets Mastro off-balance and shot is over the bar.
66 - GOAL! Colorado finally puts it all together! It's pretty as a picture - a planned set up. Herc to Colin Clark, who centers it for Cummings, and Omar connects past Rimando. 1-0 Colorado.
68 - Kries reacts by going to his bench. Robbie Findley ready to come in. Herc on a break, shoots on goal, but Nicky collects. Findley comes in for Kenny Cutlet. Cutler, I mean.
72 - Harkes acknowledges that Herc might be the best Gomez on the night.
73 - Then Harkes fumbles, "keeping the game" when he meant "ball"
74 - JP, meanwhile, is back to saying "Gomez" and not clarifying which one. Just say, 'Herculez'! That's what his jersey says.
75 - Herc with a chance in the box from a Sandy pass sends it wide.
77 - Bouna jumps for a cross, ends up deflecting it for a corner. that was poor. Catch it, Bouna. CK goes to Dr. Goals, who sends his header over the goal.
80 - Findley pressure on Erpen results in a corner, but Williams' service misses all the RSL players in the box.
82 - RSL bringing more energy into the attack. JP actually clarifies, with eight minutes left in the match, that the two Gomez players are not related. Brilliant.
HANDBALL!
The Rapids aren't the victims this time. Man-tee-jah clearly handles the ball in the box, trying to defend against Herc.
83 - GOAL! Christian takes it, makes it well. Harkes now clarifies that C. Gomez is not related to Herc, in case anyone didn't hear JP. 2-0. Rapids. I was almost right on the goalscorers. Herc certainly contributed to both goals, even if he didn't score.
88- Rapids settle into defensive mode. RSL, to their credit, is still scrapping. Herc is out, and Gomez follows.
90 - Good on ESPN cameramen - they get a shoot of a peeved Christian getting pulled back by Clavijo for a quick word. Interesting dynamics there.
90+ FK close in by Espindola, Bouna dives for it. parries wide. On the corner, he picks the ball off Mantilla's head (and the compliments I gave the ESPN cameras I take back - they missed the shot live) and gets a shove. Slight handbags, but game goes on.
Final whistle. Rapids take the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup, cement first place in Western Conference.
Yay! I called the score right. Rapids did well for their home fans, even if there weren't that many of them at the game.