Colorado Rapids Vs. LA Galaxy: Galaxy Extend Unbeaten Streak To Nine

The defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids were making a swift move up the Western Conference table with a nine-match unbeaten streak, but they struggled to gain ground on the Los Angeles Galaxy because they had an eight-match unbeaten streak of their own. Well, after Saturday's contest in the Rocky Mountains, the Rapids' streak is over, while the Galaxy have stretched their streak to nine. Juninho's wondergoal highlighted a strong effort by LA as they defeated the Rapids, 3-0, to stretch their lead atop the league to nine points.

Playing without Landon Donovan and Donovan Ricketts, the Galaxy showed no hesitation to try and go forward in Colorado. They pushed early and it paid off when a good passing sequence opened Chris Birchall on the right. Birchall barely kept the ball from going over the endline and crossed where a retreating Drew Moor slide and put it in his own goal.

On the other side of halftime the strike partnership of Omar Cummings and Conor Casey combined to get the Rapids on the scoreboard. Cummings dribbled into the penalty and got enough space to get a shot away. He beat the keeper, but the shot clattered off the post. No problem though because it rebounded into the path of Casey, who tapped it in to cut the Galaxy lead in half.

Any chance of a Rapids comeback came to an end 10 minutes later when Caleb Folan was sent off for a tackle on Juninho. Folan lost the ball and in his pursuit lunged for the loose ball, only to get their late and got caught in a tackle from behind. He was sent off for it and Colorado's chances were basically gone.

Just for good measure, Chad Barrett added to the LA lead in the 80th minute. Juninho pressured Cummings into giving up the ball and got it to Todd Dunivant on the left, who slid the ball across to Barrett who finished easily into the open net to put an end to the drama.