CARSON Calif. – Despite the return of Riqui Puig into the starting XI, the return of fans in the supporter’s section and dominating possession for most of the game, the Galaxy could not find the back of the net until it was too late.
Their opponents, the Colorado Rapids, were able to maximize their opportunities during a demoralizing 3-1 victory over the Galaxy Saturday evening at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“I don’t like to sit up here and make excuses but we haven’t done well enough” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said after the loss.
Lalas Abubakar sent a powerful header screaming past Klinsmann after a clean corner kick put the Rapids ahead 1-0 in the 15th.
Klinsmann kept the score at 1-0 after stopping what would’ve been a crafty finish from his former Galaxy teammate, Kevin Cabral, who seperated himself from the Galaxy defenders and sent the ball down the middle where it was saved.
Puig had a missed opportunity before halftime when he received a cross from Chicharito and sent the ball just above the crossbar in the 40th minute.
The Rapids would take a 1-0 lead into the break.
In the second half, Cabral was able to get on the board to put his former team away, he scored on a breakaway to put the Rapids ahead 2-0 in the 65th minute. After the second goal, fans in the supporter’s section began chanting “We want better,” and captain Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez agreed with them afterwards.
“The fans are right,” Hernandez said after the loss. “We all deserve better, as we all deserve, starting from me.”
Shortly after the second goal, Colorado’s Jonathan Lewis added another one and made it look too easy after he tapped the ball past Galaxy keeper Jonathan Klinsmann off his left foot to put the visitors ahead, 3-0.
LA would continue to create scoring chances but it was twenty three-year-old Preston Judd, who subbed on in the 71st minute, saved the Galaxy from getting shutout in the 89th minute. The goal was Judd’s first with the senior team.
Despite the result, several of the Galaxy’s younger members of the team saw minutes Saturday.
Nineteen-year old defender Jalen Neal would come on in the 27th minute after Coulibaly went down with an injury. Twenty-year-old Efrain Alvarez would sub on with Judd in the second half.
Next, the Galaxy will have a quick turnaround as they prepare to meet the Seattle Sounders in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 at home on Wednesday before returning to MLS play to host rival San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday May 14.
