The LA Galaxy’s faint playoff hopes took another devastating blow Saturday night in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids, a match delayed two hours by weather before ultimately delivering the same disappointing result that has defined their season.
The Galaxy (1-6-13, 8 points) were undone by familiar issues—defensive disorganization, a nonexistent midfield, and wasted opportunities in transition—as Colorado’s high press suffocated LA’s attack.
Following the lengthy delay, the Rapids hit the ground running as they scored twice in a five-minute span before the half hour mark, with Djordje Mihailović and Calvin Harris capitalizing on repeated defensive errors made by the Galaxy’s backline.
Compared to the Galaxy, who lacked “edge,” according to head coach Greg Vanney.
“In the first half, we were operating at 60 or 70% of the intensity level that was needed,” Vanney said. “We weren’t consistently getting into higher speeds like we have been.”
LA’s backline, already the leakiest in MLS, was repeatedly exposed Wednesday in Colorado.
“We were conceding too much space between our lines, between our back line and our front line…that’s something collectively tonight I didn’t think we did a great job of staying connected and managing our spaces.“
Emiro Garcés misplayed a routine clearance in the buildup to Mihailović’s opener, while right back John Nelson kept Harris onside for Colorado’s second.
“I felt like they had a lot of space that they could move and combine and do things like that more than usual,” Vanney added.
The Galaxy survived two additional Rapids goals called back for offside in the first half, but the damage was done.
"This is a tough place to fight your way back, especially coming off of one game in four weeks and a two-hour delay,” Vanney said. "
Joseph Paintsil squandered two scoring chances, one in each half, while Gabriel Pec’s best look just before the hour mark was comfortably saved.
Vanney’s substitutions—Isaiah Parente, Julián Aude and a triple change of Diego Fagundez, Christian Ramirez and Mauricio Cuevas in the 80th—failed to spark a comeback.
With the season beyond the halfway point, LA sits 17 points below the playoff line. Their next match—a trip up to Stanford Stadium for the Cali Clasico against the Earthquakes—looms as yet another must-win for Vanney and his club, but he remains confident in the players.
“They understand what it’s like to play San Jose and that its a Clasico and we just played them not too long ago so we have a pretty good sense of what they’re going to look like and how the game’s going to try to be played.”