Things are starting to get tight amongst the top four teams in the Western Conference.
Two of those teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids, squared off Tuesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park. Both teams certainly displayed their qualities on Tuesday night, but in the end, it was the visiting Rapids that had just a little more in them. Andre Shinyashiki’s goal in the second half was the difference in the match, much to the Rapids delight, as they left Carson CA with a 2-1 win.
“I think there’s times when we need to be much harder to play against just defensively,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “We need to have more presence, be more physical… just be more difficult for the opposition so that they just feel a little more uncomfortable.”
The win was huge for the Rapids, as they climb to within a point of the Galaxy for the third spot in the conference. In fact, the Galaxy are one point behind the Seattle Sounders, who are also one-point behind Sporting Kansas City for the top spot in the West.
The Rapids go their first chance, though it took a while to materialize. Cole Bassett played a ball to Jonathan Lewis, who then split two Galaxy defenders and dribbled into the penalty area. Raveloson challenged Lewis from behind, bumped Lewis as the ball went off his foot and over the end line. However, referee Silvio Petrescu got the call for video review, and what was seen was that Raveloson pushed his right arm into Lewis’ back, and Petrescu signaled for the penalty spot. Lewis stepped up to the spot, and Bond guessed wrong, as he dove to his left and Lewis sent the penalty straight up the middle and into the upper back net to give Colorado the lead.
Raveloson however got his redemption in the 34th minute. Victor Vazquez sent a ball into the penalty area towards the end line, Dejan Joveljic’s header kept the ball in play, the ball deflected off Galaxy defender Derrick Williams before Reveloson blasted a right-footed laser at the top of the penalty area that beat William Yarborough. The Galaxy had several chances to grab the lead in the second half, the first in the 50th minute when Julian Araujo played Sebastian Lletget into the penalty area, Lletget crossed into the six-yard box and Williams headed a ball at goal, but Yarborough didn’t flinch, and calmly parried the ball away from goal. Samuel Grandsir had a chance for the Galaxy in the 62nd minute, but his chance hit off the far post.
Those missed opportunities came back to haunt the Galaxy in the 73rd minute. The Rapids had a corner kick, Jack Price sent the corner into the penalty area, the ball was flicked by Cole Bassett towards the far post, Bond came off his line to contest, but didn’t make it, as Shinyashiki headed a ball past the goal line to put the Rapids ahead for good.
“I think a small detail caused us the second goal, “Vazquez said. “I think we were dominating the game in the second half.”
A busy week concludes for the Galaxy at home on Friday night with the California Clasico against the San Jose Earthquakes.
