Next Stop, California, as Colorado Rapids Continue Their Coast-To-Coast Road Trip
April 30, 2015 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release
Colorado Rapids face a quick turnaround, and a lengthy journey as they head to California to face LA Galaxy on Saturday night, seeking to extend their unbeaten road run to five games.
This will be the first of two meetings with the Galaxy this season - the other is at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on August 1 - and follows the side's 1-1 draw at New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night.
LA's most recent outing was also at the Red Bulls, last Sunday, and that also ended in a 1-1 tie.
Pablo Mastroeni will be hoping that his players are rested and recovered for what is expected to be another testing encounter, against a side that dominated the matchups in the latter part of 2014.
The Rapids will be without midfielder Marcelo Sarvas who, though now free from suspension, is recovering following knee surgery. There remains doubt over the fitness of skipper Drew Moor, who was a late withdrawal from the lineup to face the Red Bulls, after feeling discomfort in his knee. He only returned to playing on April 10 following eight months out with an ACL injury.
HISTORY WITH LA GALAXY
Colorado Rapids have met LA Galaxy more than any other team in MLS. This will be a 66th regular season contest between these two clubs, with the Galaxy clear leaders in the head-to-head. (The Rapids have now faced FC Dallas 64 times).
Of the 65 previous meetings, the Galaxy have won 34, compared to the 24 victories enjoyed by the Rapids. Much of that success for the Galaxy has come in California, where they have an impressive 23-7-2 record.
Indeed, in Carson, the Galaxy have outscored the Rapids 66-30 in their 32 meetings. The Galaxy are one of only two teams to have scored a century of goals against the Rapids. The other is FC Dallas. Both clubs have netted a total of 104 goals each, in regular season action.
Last season started brightly for the Rapids in their meetings with Bruce Arena's side. A Vicente Sánchez chipped goal was the difference in a 1-0 win for the Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on May 3. Pablo Mastroeni's team then held a 2-0 and 3-1 lead over the Galaxy at home, only to lose 4-3 in what would be their fifth defeat in a row, toward the end of August. They then crumbled to a franchise-record 6-0 loss at StubHub Center the following month.
Prior to the two crushing defeats in the latter stages of 2014, the Rapids had actually enjoyed a run of success, winning the previous three games, without conceding a goal. This included a 1-0 win at StubHub Center on September 7, 2013, courtesy of Edson Buddle, who now finds himself back at the Galaxy.
The long history between these teams began on June 26, 1996. Shaun Bartlett gave the Rapids a fourth minute lead in LA, only for Eduardo Hurtado to net a hat-trick and bag the victory for the home side.
As well as the 65 regular season encounters, the teams have also met seven times over four postseasons - though not since 2005 - and three times in the U.S. Open Cup.
WHERE TO CATCH THE MATCH
Altitude will provide live coverage of LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids, with a preview show starting at 8:00 p.m MT. You can also catch the action on Mile High Sports Radio (FM 94.1), as well as Radio Luz 1650 AM.
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