Unbeaten streak over as Galaxy fall
Nicolas Hernandez finished off a nice passing movement in the 41st minute to give the Rapids the victory and keep pace with the rest of the top of the conference, while leaving the Galaxy seven points out of the final playoff spot with just 10 games to play.
The Rapids had the best chance of the early going, in the fifth minute. Thiago Martins raced past Ugo Ihemelu into the area and sent a cross to the near post where Hernandez had his shot blocked before Troy Roberts sent it out for a corner. Hernandez put the restart into the area where defender Aitor Karanka put a header at goal, but again a Galaxy defender got a boot to it and deflected it out for yet another corner.
The Galaxy tried to move their lines forward, but weren't able to attack with any effectiveness on the counter. The Rapids continue to pour forward -- Daniel Wasson had a header saved and Martins had a shot go just wide. Hernandez also tried a shot from long distance but it sailed just wide of Kevin Hartman's goal.
The game settled into a tactical midfield battle with few opportunities. In a rare foray forward Herculez Gomez tried to round Pablo Mastroeni in the 23rd minute, but playing a central defender with the suspensions of Mike Petke and Eric Denton, Mastroeni cut out the danger.
In the 36th minute Quavas Kirk received a long pass on the right and cut into the area. From a sharp angle he hit a quick shot that nearly caught out Joe Cannon, but the Colorado 'keeper dove to his left to push it over the bar.
The Rapids then took the lead in the 41st minute. Martins stole the ball in the midfield and sent Kyle Beckerman free into the area. He carried to the corner of the goal area before rolling a pass back across goal where Hernandez came in to push it into the goal.
After the break, the Rapids again came close. Wasson sent a header from a Beckerman cross on target, but Hartman pushed aside a near second. Then in the 50th minute Martins hit an angled shot on the run from the right that somehow just missed the far post.
Wasson then won a 50/50 ball and put in a centering pass that found Martins, who shot as Hartman was coming off his line. But the blast was too strong and sailed over the crossbar.
Fabrice Noel came on as a 75th-minute substitute for Martins and had a good opportunity a couple of minutes later. But as the final minutes rolled on, Noel was often left on his own as the Rapids were pinned into their own end as the Galaxy began to control the midfield and starve the Colorado attack of any service.
Landon Donovan had a terrific chance to pull the Galaxy level at the death when a rebound fell to him at close range and he fired a quick shot with his right foot. But Cannon dove and held the ball at the second attempt, preserving the vital Colorado victory.
Yuri Vasquez is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
