Galaxy gets playoffs started with rout of Rapids

If you’re wondering how the Los Angeles Galaxy would face one week after losing out on the top seed in the Western Conference, well stop wondering, they are just fine thank you.

Hosting game one of its first round matchup against the Colorado Rapids, the Galaxy quickly put last week’s disappointment behind them. Dejan Joveljic and Riqui Puig led the way for the Galaxy on Saturday night, as they both had a brace in the match, add in a goal from John Nelson and the Galaxy began its playoff run in convincing fashion, delivering a 5-0 blowout of Colorado.

 I thought it was a very clean performance, and probably one of the best,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “I can’t remember all 34 at this point, 35 now, but it was definitely one of the best ones I think, and at a good time. Hopefully, we can build off this.”

Joveljic got the Galaxy going in the 32nd minute. Puig sent a corner kick into the penalty area, Joveljic headed a ball for the far post, and the ball got past a diving Zack Steffen into the back net to give the Galaxy the lead.

The Galaxy then blew the game open in the second half. LA doubled its advantage in the 52nd minute, as Miki Yamane dribbled inside towards the penalty area, Yamane then played John Nelson into the penalty area, and the unmarked Nelson switched the ball to his shooting foot and blasted the right-footer past Steffen far post for his first ever MLS Goal.

“We started to go down the right side. I think they over shifted a lot towards Miki, and Miki did a good job cutting it in,” Nelson said of his goal. “When I saw Miki played a cross I said if this thing gets through I’m going to score this, and then it got through. Honestly, I don’t know why I cut it back. They bit kind of hard, and then as soon as I cut it back to my right, there was a lot of space open. Then, I hit it pretty well. [It’s] my first goal, so obviously very, very happy.”

A minute later, Puig tripled the advantage, as Nelson led a Galaxy break, played a ball to Joveljic, who touched a ball to Puig, who capped off the attack by blasting a right-footed volley past Steffen. Even then, the Galaxy refused to let up. LA got goal number four in the 75th minute, Marc Reus led another Galaxy break, passed to Puig, who then played Gabriel Pec into the penalty area, Pec took the shot, which was blocked by Andreas Maxsø, but the ball fell to Joveljic, who after creating a sightline, fired a left-footed shot past Steffen. Puig capped off the scoring in the 87th minute, as Puig passed to Pec, who held the ball, then played Puig into the penalty area and after a quick touch, Puig fired the right-footed volley into the back net.