It took 120 minutes to do it, but the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Colorado Rapids for the first time this season Wednesday, claiming a 3-1 win to advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals.
Goals by Clint Mathis for Colorado and Quavas Kirk for the Galaxy, both in the opening 45 minutes, forced overtime to decide the match. Landon Donovan scored just minutes into the first overtime period, then added an insurance goal in the second overtime to give the Galaxy a hard fought victory. The Green-and-Gold, two wins away from a second straight Open Cup title, will host Houston Dynamo in the semifinals on Sept. 6.
Colorado wasted little time in taking the lead. In just the third minute, a Los Angeles giveaway in midfield found the foot of Kyle Beckerman, who floated a perfect ball just over the head of Troy Roberts and onto the foot of Mathis. Mathis collected the ball with his first touch and then coolly tucked the ball away past Hartman, who was left on an island all alone by his defense.
Colorado continued to pour on the pressure. In the 18th minute, former Galaxy forward Jovan Kirovski nearly doubled the lead as Fabrice Noel worked himself free down the right side and laid a ball across the middle of the area. Kirovski found himself all alone six yards away from goal and tried to score at the back post, but Ugo Ihemelu came out of nowhere to clear the ball off the line.
The home team finally showed some life in the 25th minute. Santino Quaranta worked a cross from a throw-in, sending the ball to Herculez Gomez. From the top of the 18 Gomez rose up to meet the ball, but his header sailed just wide of the upright.
Things took a bad turn for the Galaxy in the 33rd minute. Cornell Glen, who was making his first appearance for the Green-and-Gold since April, went to the turf for the third time in the half. Galaxy trainers looked at him on the sidelines for a few minutes before Frank Yallop was forced to go to his bench, bringing on Donovan to replace the Trinidad and Tobago international.
The last few chances of the half belonged to the Galaxy. Donovan didn't waste much time getting into the match, either. In the 41st minute, Chris Albright joined the attack from his right fullback position and drove a ball to the near post. Donovan hit a powerful header on target, but Matt Jordan made the point blank save to preserve the lead for Colorado.
Just before the halftime whistle the Galaxy managed to tie things up as Kirk scored his second Open Cup goal. The goal originated from Albright, who passed the ball up the wing to a streaking Kirk. Kirk outran Eric Denton, and from a sharp angle inside the box he ripped a shot into net to level the score.
The second half started at a frenzied pace, but few genuine scoring chances came of it until the 53rd minute. Kirk, trying to double his tally, cut into the box from the right flank. This time, the angle was too sharp for the teenager, and his shot rolled right to Jordan.
The Galaxy thought they had taken the lead in the 64th minute. Landon Donovan fed Gomez who fired from 18 yards out. Gomez' shot was too much for Jordan to handle and Donovan pounced on the rebound, tucking it into the net. But the play was ruled offside.
Los Angeles continued to knock on the door, but couldn't break through. Donovan hooked a shot just inches over the bar in the 78th minute, and Chris Albright's header from a Donovan free kick was off target just minutes later.
The Galaxy's inability to finish their chances in the second half meant two 15 minutes overtimes needed to be played to determine a winner.
It took all of two minutes into overtime for the home team to take the advantage.
Donovan found Kirk on the right flank, who dribbled towards the end line and crossed the ball back to the middle. Alan Gordon just missed the cross with a diving header, but Donovan was there to tap the ball home to give the Galaxy a 2-1 lead.
The game took a second significant turn in the Galaxy's favor in the 100th minute. Rapids forward Thiago Martins was shown his second yellow card of the night and given his walking papers, the Galaxy a man advantage the rest of the way.
The Galaxy came out in the second overtime content to sit back and defend their lead, dropping several players behind the ball and bringing on defender Tyrone Marshall with their final sub.
The Rapids came close to an equalizer in the 110th minute when Colorado sub Aitor Karanka hit a long range shot that seemed to change direction on the way to goal, forcing Hartman into a diving save.
But Donovan sealed the deal for the Galaxy in the 115th minute, taking a pass from Vagenas from just on the other side of the midfield stripe and heading in on a breakaway. Donovan cut to his left and slotted the ball past Jordan for his second goal.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
