The Galaxy have not performed a recreation this late within the calendar in practically a decade, however that they had little bother adjusting their shot on Saturday, beating the Colorado Rapids 5-0 in a first-round MLS Western Conference playoff recreation performed in entrance of a packed home introduced of 24,537 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The recreation was way more one-sided than the rating, with the Galaxy getting two targets from Dejan Joveljic, two from Riqui Puig and one other from John Nelson. Four of these targets towards U.S. nationwide group goalkeeper Zack Steffen got here within the second half.
Galaxy goalie John McCarthy, in the meantime, had a quiet night time in purpose, producing a shutout with out having to make a save.
The win was probably the most one-sided lead to an MLS playoff recreation since November 2014, when the Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake 5-0 in a first-round match on the way in which to successful the MLS Cup.
With the win, the Galaxy will journey to suburban Denver on Friday for the second recreation of the best-of-three sequence, needing yet one more win to advance to the convention semifinals. A loss would pressure a 3rd recreation at Dignity Health Sports Park on Nov. 9.
Neither consequence is good for the Galaxy, given the weird MLS playoff schedule.
If they win the primary two video games of the sequence, the Galaxy would make it to the convention semifinals, however with the playoffs on maintain for the November nationwide break, the group’s subsequent recreation would not be till Nov. 23, a 22-day break. which dangers depriving the group of its rhythm.
A loss, in the meantime, would pressure a winner-takes-all house recreation, with the Galaxy’s season on the road.
Regardless, the Galaxy will make historical past as they have not performed a recreation in November since 2016, once they misplaced the second recreation of a two-game convention semifinal to the Rapids on penalties in Bruce Arena’s final recreation as coach .
The Galaxy have been forward from the beginning on Saturday – that they had the ball for nearly an hour of the 90 minutes – though they weren’t sensible and struggled to string passes collectively early on. They have been lastly rewarded for his or her aggression within the thirty second minute, when Joveljic fronted Puig’s nook and set Steffen’s mushy header to the suitable submit.
The purpose was the Galaxy’s seventieth of the season however simply their third from a nook whereas it was Joveljic’s sixteenth of the season, matching him with Gabriel Pec for probably the most on the group. Puig had solely taken 9 corners throughout the common season and none of them had resulted in targets; Saturday’s help was his team-high sixteenth.
And the consequence was a great omen because the Galaxy are virtually unbeatable once they rating first, shedding simply as soon as in 18 video games. They I’m undefeated at Dignity Health Sports Park, with Saturday’s win rising Carson’s file to 14-1-3 this season. None of that streak was ever at risk in a recreation the Galaxy dominated from the beginning.
Wing defenders Miki Yamane and Nelson teamed as much as double the lead seven minutes into the second half, with Yamane threading a ball throughout the field to a wide-open Nelson, who settled the ball with one foot after which despatched in a shot right-footed into the highest proper nook for the primary purpose of his six-year MLS profession.
Two minutes later Puig, who was all around the pitch, made it 3-0 after Joveljic deflected Nelson’s go in entrance of him on the prime of the world, establishing a straightforward right-footed end.
Joveljic and Puig then closed out the scoring with Joveljic working on to the rebound of a Pec shot, then dribbling throughout the world to create area earlier than beating Steffen cleanly together with his left foot within the seventy fifth minute and Puig slotted house his second purpose. minutes later.
For McCarthy, the clear sheet was his seventh of the season, however his first in two months.
