It took 120 minutes and a penalty shootout to find a winner, but the Colorado Rapids will move on past the LA Galaxy in the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs thanks to a Shkelzen Gashi golazo and two big saves in the shootout from Tim Howard.
The goal that brought the series level on aggregate came in the 36th minute with a long-range effort effort from Gashi. He received the ball 40 yards out from the Galaxy goal, took a touch forward and launched an effort that bent away from Brian Rowe, wrong-footing the LA ‘keeper and kissing the post on its way in. The goal brought the aggregate score in the series to 1-1, where it would stay for the remainder of the game.
Neither team was able to seriously test the opposing goalkeeper after Gashi’s goal until Dominique Badji forced a save out of Brian Rowe with his header in the 14th minute of extra time, the best remaining chance for both teams before the game headed to penalties.
The Galaxy started the shootout strong thanks to Steven Gerrard's effort, but would proceed to see Giovani dos Santos sky his shot and Ashley Cole have his strike saved by Howard, while Colorado made all of their first three spot kicks. That set up a do-or-die kick for LA's Jeff Larentowicz, but Howard got low to his right to deny the veteran midfielder's effort and send Colorado through.
LA Galaxy Postgame Notes
LA Galaxy 0 (1), Colorado Rapids 1 (3)
Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016
Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Semifinals – Leg 2
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, Colorado
Scoring Summary:
COL – Shkelzen Gashi (Assisted by Sam Cronin) 36’
Penalties:
LA – Steven Gerrard (scored)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (0)
COL – Kevin Doyle (scored)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (1)
LA – Giovani dos Santos (miss)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (1)
COL – Sebastien Le Toux (scored)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (2)
LA – Ashley Cole (saved)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (2)
COL – Marco Pappa (scored)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (3)
LA – Jeff Larentowicz (saved)
LA Galaxy (1) Colorado Rapids (3)
Final: LA Galaxy (1) Colorado (3)
Misconduct Summary:
COL – Shkelzen Gashi (caution) 30’
COL – Sam Cronin (caution) 57’
Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Brian Rowe; Robbie Rogers, Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme ©, Ashley Cole; Landon Donovan (Jeff Larentowicz HT), Baggio Husidic, Sebastian Lletget, Mike Magee (Steven Gerrard 76’); Giovani dos Santos; Alan Gordon (Robbie Keane 60’)
Substitutions not used: Dan Kennedy, A.J. DeLaGarza, Dave Romney, Rafael Garcia.
Head Coach: Bruce Arena
SHOTS: 6; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; CORNERS: 2; OFFSIDES: 1; SAVES: 3
Colorado Rapids: Tim Howard; Eric Miller, Jared Watts, Axel Sjober, Marc Burch, Sebastien Le Toux, Kevin Doyle, Jermaine Jones (Dillon Powers 83’), Sam Cronin ©, Shkelzen Gashi (Marlon Hairston HT); Dominique Badji (Marco Pappa 112’).
Substitutions not used: Zac MacMath, Bobby Burling, Mekeil Williams, Michael Azira.
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; CORNERS: 8; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 1
Referee: Marc Geiger
Referee’s Assistants: Sean Hurd and Joe Fletcher
4th Official: Armando Villarreal
Attendance: 17,782
