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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Playing one man short for 72 of the 90
minutes proved not to be a disadvantage for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The team scored two of its three goals shorthanded in a 3-0
victory over the Colorado Rapids Sunday in Game 1 of their Major
League Soccer Western Conference semifinal series.
|  | | Los Angeles' Cobi Jones, left, and Colorado's Jason Bent battle for a ball in the air. |
Los Angeles was forced to played the final 72 minutes with just
10 players after midfielder Simon Elliott was automatically ejected
after receiving his second yellow card when his cleats hit Colorado
defender Marcelo Balboa's thigh during an attempted tackle.
Elliott received his first yellow card from referee Marcel Yonan
in the sixth minute for fouling defender David Vaudreuil from
behind. He will also be suspended for the second game of the series
under league rules.
After goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made two of his seven saves in
the first half and defender Robin Fraser cleared Jorge Dely Valdes'
20th-minute shot away before it crossed the goal line, the Galaxy
scored twice in a six-minute span in the second half to seal the
victory before a Rose Bowl crowd announced at 16,307 people.
"I was really happy with the way we organized ourselves
defensively, especially in the second half," coach Sigi Schmid
said. "Danny Pena did a great job and our goalkeeper came up big
with big saves when we needed them."
Leading 1-0 on Ezra Hendrickson's eighth-minute goal, Los
Angeles increased its lead to 2-0 on Greg Vanney's penalty-kick
goal in the 52nd minute. The Galaxy was awarded the penalty kick
after Rapids defender Chris Martinez pulled midfielder Mauricio
Cienfuegos down by the jersey in the penalty area.
Cobi Jones scored in the 57th minute, tapping in a loose ball
after goalkeeper Ian Feuer deflected Clint Mathis' cross but the
Rapids were unable to clear the ball away.
Hendrickson opened the scoring by taking Cienfuegos' through
ball 23 yards from the goal line, dribbling just inside the penalty
area and taking a shot that rolled diagonally past Feuer.
Colorado's offensive woes continued despite lead 14-12 in shots
and 8-6 in shots on goal. The Rapids were shut out in their final
five regular-season matches and were held scoreless for 499
consecutive minutes, an MLS record.
"The difference today was goalkeeping and finishing," Colorado
coach Glenn Myernick said. "We had five clear chances and nothing
to show from them."
Game 2 of the best-of-three series will be played Sunday in
Denver. A third game, if necessary, would be played Oct. 27 at the
Rose Bowl.
The winner will face the winner of the Chicago-Dallas semifinal
for the Western Conference championship and a berth in MLS Cup '99.
Dallas opened that series with a 2-1 victory Saturday.
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ALSO SEE
Soccer Scoreboard
Head-to-head: Los Angeles vs. Colorado
Los Angeles Galaxy playoff roster
Colorado Rapids playoff roster
1999 Major League Soccer playoff schedule
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