Gross misfortune, a goal off the post and two late, late goals ended the Colorado Rapids’ season on Friday night.
Much was improved from an abysmal 5-0 loss six days earlier in California, and these 90 minutes were the best the Rapids have played in all four matchups against the L.A. Galaxy this season.
But a banged-up Rapids team — even if they had Djordje Mihailovic back from an ankle injury — ultimately could not find a late equalizer and lost, 4-1, in the MLS Cup Playoffs at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park thanks to two stoppage-time goals from Riqui Puig.
L.A. took the lead early with one of the craziest unlucky moments you’ll see on a soccer pitch. Rapids keeper Zack Steffen had an easy clearance on the left side of the 18-yard box, about six yards from the touch line, with a closing Gabriel Pec to worry about. He beamed the ball into a jumping Pec, and it ricocheted at an improbable angle to open the scoring in the eighth minute.
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Silence from all 16,010 Rapids fans in attendance. Momentary dejection for all 11 Rapids players on the field. But they did not stay in that frame of mind.
As it had in seven minutes before the goal, Colorado pressed the issue and was the stronger team.
Against bad teams this season, the Rapids have been great when going down, leading the league with 19 points from losing positions. Against good teams, having to chase the game has been one of Colorado’s most glaring weaknesses. In the 19th minute, they found what they were pursuing.
Oliver Larraz, who had scored just two goals in all competitions in his first full year with the first team, sent a laser to the top right from 24 yards away without a defender in his vicinity.
In first-half stoppage time, the Galaxy’s Joseph Paintsil cut inside on the left wing to beat Keegan Rosenberry, then put a shot off the far post and in to steal the lead back heading into the locker room.
Puig found the space between Steffen’s legs in the 90+1st minute to make it 3-1, then beat him a minute later on a breakaway for his team’s fourth.
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