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MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids Suffer 3-1 Setback at LA

September 9, 2007 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


Carson, Calif. - The Colorado Rapids lost for the first time in five games when they fell to the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 at the Home Depot Center.

A Terry Cooke cross in the third minute resulted in the first two corner kicks of the game. The last time these two teams played, Cooke set a Rapids team record when he took 13 corner kicks in the game.

Bouna Coundoul was forced to make a great stop in the 22nd minute. Edson Buddle beat Facundo Erpen and forced Colorado's ‘keeper to come out of the goal, and deflect Buddle's shot out with a diving save.

Brandon Prideaux and Mehdi Ballouchy both had opportunities in the 38th minute. Prideaux hit his shot from the top of the 18 yard box right at Joe Cannon. Ballouchy attempted to drill his shot past Cannon, but he hit it just over the goal.

The Galaxy scored their first goal against the Rapids in 588 minutes of action when Peter Vagenas played a ball to Alan Gordon who rounded Coundoul and shot into the empty net.

In the 55th minute, Kyle Martino took a corner kick that Buddle headed past Coundoul, but Ballouchy was in the right place to stop the shot with his chest and clear the danger.

In the 58th minute, Zach Thornton made his Rapids debut when he came in for an injured Coundoul. The MLS original made his first save for Colorado three minutes later.

Buddle made the Galaxy's advantage 2-0 when he scored a goal from an offside position in the 63rd minute.

Herculez Gomez had an opportunity in the 65th minute when Ballouchy laid a ball off to him, but Cannon made a kick save to deny the former Galaxy player.

In the 68th minute Cannon went on an adventure when his clearance from the end line went straight to Cooke. Cannon recovered to barely tip the cross from the Englishman; however it fell to Colin Clark, whose volley went just over the net.

In the 70th minute, Martino headed a Chris Klein cross into the net. Thornton got to the back post to try and make the save but he didn't get enough of the ball to keep it out.

Ballouchy pulled one back for the Rapids in the 89th minute. Capping an all-around game, the Moroccan collected a Cannon clearance and scored his first goal in a Colorado kit.

Substitutes Omar Cummings and Jacob Peterson both had chances in extra time but their shots both went wide to the right of Cannon's goal.

The Rapids will return to Dick's Sporting Goods Park after two games on the road when they take on Chivas USA on Sunday, September 16 at 1 p.m. Tickets are available and may be purchased by calling the Rapids at (303) 825-GOAL or logging onto coloradorapids.com.

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