COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Rookies Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil scored first-half objectives, Riqui Puig scored twice throughout second-half stoppage time, and the Los Angeles Galaxy polished off a first-round sweep of the Colorado Rapids with a 4-1 victory in MLS Cup motion on Friday evening.
Pec, who had 16 objectives in the course of the common season, scored his first postseason goal simply eight minutes into the match when he deflected a clearing try by Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen into the online.
The Rapids answered with an unassisted aim by Oliver Larraz – his first in his first postseason – to even the rating within the nineteenth minute of the best-of-three collection.
The second-seeded Galaxy took a 2-1 lead into halftime when Paintsil took a cross from Maya Yoshida within the third minute of stoppage time and scored his first postseason aim. Yoshida’s help was his first in two profession playoff begins.
Puig, who scored twice within the Galaxy’s 5-0 victory within the opening match, put the completion on the victory with objectives within the first and third minutes of stoppage time. He didn’t have a aim or an help in two playoff begins for LA in 2022.
Diego Fagúndez notched his second profession help in his ninth postseason look on Puig’s first aim. Pec made it two straight postseason matches with an help with one on his second.
John McCarthy saved three pictures in his second playoff begin for the Galaxy after posting a clear sheet in his first. His solely different postseason begin got here in 2020 with Inter Miami.
Steffen totaled 4 saves in his tenth profession postseason begin and second with the seventh-seeded Rapids.
The Galaxy outscored Colorado 15-4 in 4 matchups this season. LA improves to 9-2-0 all time in opposition to the Rapids within the postseason, together with 4-2-0 on the street.
LA will face the winner of the collection between No. 3 seed Actual Salt Lake and No. 6 seed Minnesota United within the subsequent spherical.
