Galaxy Ties, but Ruiz Hurt
With Carlos Ruiz en route to Centinela Hospital in Inglewood on Saturday night, it was left to Cobi Jones and Alejandro Moreno to rescue the Galaxy from the depths of a truly dreadful Major League Soccer match.
They almost succeeded, but then the Galaxy defense fell apart for a moment, allowing the Colorado Rapids to score and subsequently escape from the Home Depot Center with a 1-1 tie.
The announced crowd of 20,882 appeared unimpressed, the Galaxy fans perhaps being more concerned with the extent of Ruiz’s injury.
The league’s leading scorer was taken off the field on a stretcher in the 25th minute after twisting his right ankle. The preliminary diagnosis was that he had suffered a severe sprain, but he was taken to the hospital anyway for precautionary X-rays, which proved negative.
Ruiz, who has scored six goals in seven games for the Galaxy (3-1-3), will have an MRI exam on Monday and will sit out Wednesday night’s match at D.C. United and could also sit out next Saturday’s game against the defending MLS champion Earthquakes at San Jose.
Moreno came on in his place, but despite his hard work the game seldom raised itself to any noteworthy level.
The Rapids came into the match not having scored a goal in 244 minutes, and that soon became 289 minutes after a tepid first half in which they managed only four shots, none of them threatening Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman in the slightest.
The Galaxy was not much better with only five shots.
Finally, in the 61st minute, Jones found a way to penetrate the packed Colorado defense and fired a shot that Colorado goalkeeper Joe Cannon failed to handle. Moreno was on hand to steer the loose ball into the open net.
Earlier, Jones achieved a statistic of note. In the 13th minute, he became the Galaxy’s all-time leader in minutes played at 17,711, surpassing retired midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos.
Other than that, the match had little to recommend it, although Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid saw it differently.
“In the first half I thought we played reasonably well,” he said. “I thought we created some chances and were a little bit unlucky.
“In the second half, we lost the rhythm of it a little bit when we got the go-ahead goal.... We didn’t deal well once we got the lead. We let them back in the game.”
Colorado (1-1-4) tied the score in the 71st minute. Matt Crawford’s deep cross from the right wing caught the backpedaling Galaxy defense by surprise and found winger Chris Henderson unmarked at the far post.
Henderson crossed the ball into the goal area, and Haitian striker Jean Philippe Peguero slammed it into the back of Hartman’s net, ending the Rapids’ scoreless streak at 315 minutes.
The assist made Henderson Colorado’s all-time points leader.
“Obviously the road is not always kind,” said Colorado Coach Tim Hankinson, “but it was great to see the boys not put their heads down and have a chance to tie it up.”
And the scoreless streak?
“I haven’t been counting,” Hankinson said.
