Galaxy isn’t up to speed
The Colorado Rapids stunned the Galaxy with the second-fastest goal in Major League Soccer history Saturday night, scoring after a mere 16 seconds en route to a 3-2 victory.
The loss, in front of a sparse crowd at the Home Depot Center -- it was announced as 16,709 -- left the Galaxy (0-1-1) still seeking its first win of the season after having leaked five goals in two matches.
For Colorado (2-1-0), it was a lively beginning.
The first meaningful touch on the ball by a Los Angeles player came when goalkeeper Josh Saunders fished it out of the back of the net.
The goal was scored by Conor Casey, his first of three, on a simple tap-in after a cross from the right flank by teammate Omar Cummings had eluded the Galaxy defense.
The fastest-ever goal in MLS was scored by Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario, who banged one in after only 11 seconds for the San Jose Earthquakes against the Dallas Burn on Sept. 27, 2003.
Casey did grab one record, however. It was the fastest goal ever given up by the Galaxy, the previous mark being 32 seconds.
The game’s second goal also goes into the record books.
It came at the 36:06 mark when Galaxy rookie Omar Gonzalez headed a Landon Donovan corner kick past Colorado goalkeeper Preston Burpo. It was the first MLS goal for former Maryland standout Gonzalez.
At fault for the goal was Colorado’s Cummings, who needlessly gave the ball away at midfield when he fiddled about with it instead of finding a teammate. Cummings eventually ended up passing it to a Galaxy player, putting his defense under pressure and causing it to yield the corner kick.
Los Angeles took the lead two minutes into the second half after an adventurous effort by defender Sean Franklin, who made a run to the top of the Colorado penalty area before threading a pass through to Donovan.
Last season’s league-leading goal scorer in turn found Alan Gordon, who had the simple task of steering the ball into the net from a few yards out.
It was Donovan’s second assist of the night and his fifth of the week, the striker having set up all three of the U.S. goals in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Trinidad and Tobago in Nashville on Wednesday night.
The Galaxy’s lead lasted all of 97 seconds.
At 49:06, Cummings again found himself unmarked on the right and squared the ball to Casey in front of the net. Saunders stuck out a leg, but Casey’s shot had already beaten him to make it 2-2.
Things went even more awry for the Galaxy a minute later when midfielder Dema Kovalenko was tossed out of the match for a studs-up tackle on Colorado’s Mehdi Ballouchy. Referee Michael Kennedy had no hesitation in sending Kovalenko off.
Kovalenko, who was acquired during the off-season by Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena despite a reputation for hot-headedness, had been yellow-carded in the Galaxy’s season opener when his foul earned D.C. United a penalty kick goal in a 2-2 tie.
Ballouchy got a yellow card of his own in the 66th minute when he dragged down Donovan as the Galaxy striker was sprinting toward the goal, with three other Rapids also giving chase.
Colorado got the last laugh, however, as Casey completed his hat trick in fine fashion.
Colin Clark latched on to the ball on the left sideline and slipped a pass through to Casey, who had acres of space in which to work. Galaxy defender Tony Sanneh did not have the speed to close him down and the forward rounded goalkeeper Saunders and scored from a sharp angle into an empty net.
The teams play each other again Tuesday night in Carson in the U.S. Open Cup.
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