Rapids Still Missing Fraser
It’s a good thing Robin Fraser isn’t playing for the Colorado Rapids tonight because if he were, chances are the Galaxy would have an even more difficult time defeating its former captain’s new team.
It was tough enough last Saturday, when the Galaxy hung on for a 1-0 victory over the Rapids at the Rose Bowl on a goal by Ezra Hendrickson in the 44th minute.
Afterward, Fraser, who still is recuperating from shoulder and groin surgery, visited the Galaxy locker room and was surprised to be inundated by gifts from his former teammates.
Among them was a round-trip ticket between Denver and Los Angeles--”just in case he wants to visit us,” said a Galaxy staffer.
Returning home tonight will be Galaxy rookie forward Brian Mullan, who grew up in Littleton, Colo. Coach Sigi Schmid probably will keep the same starting lineup from a week ago, with Mullan up front with Sasha Victorine and Cobi Jones in the forward line.
The Galaxy will be seeking its 300th regular-season goal, and Schmid has to hope it will be the first one scored in the match. The team holds a league-best 75-10-2 record and an .874 winning percentage when scoring first.
It was a combination of some heads-up play by defenders Greg Vanney and Hendrickson that produced the Galaxy’s first victory of the season last Saturday, but the Colorado defense also was to blame.
Instead of leaving it up to midfielder/defender Imad Baba to get the ball, Rapid goalkeeper Adin Brown came far out of his net to try to get to Vanney’s long pass before Hendrickson did.
Brown and Baba each thought the other had it and Hendrickson was able to take advantage of the defensive miscue and slipped the ball into the open net from the top of the penalty area.
The Rapids’ offense is expected to get a boost tonight with the return of midfielder John Spencer, who was a late scratch last week when his strained right calf started to bother him during warm-ups.
Matt Reis is expected to start again in the nets for the Galaxy, having shut out the Rapids last week in his first start of the season.
TODAY
at Colorado, 1 p.m. PDT
KVEA, Telemundo
* Site--Mile High Stadium, Denver.
* Radio--KXMX (1190), KTNQ (1020, Spanish).
* Records--Galaxy 1-2, Rapids 0-2-1.
* Record vs. Rapids--1-0.
* Update--The Galaxy will be at full strength while the Rapids will be without defender Robin Fraser and injured midfielder Wes Hart. Rapids’ defender Scott Vermillion (groin strain) was listed as questionable. The Galaxy has lost four consecutive regular-season games at Mile High Stadium, each by a 1-0 score.
