Los Angeles Galaxy 1 Colorado Rapids 0 - A Moor-bid Result

Looking at the score-line, you would think that the Colorado Rapids missing Drew Moor in tonight's match against the Los Angeles Galaxy didn't have quite as much of an effect as we assumed it would here. You would then be instructed to check the rest of the stats on the match, because to say that the defensive effort last night was lackluster would be an insult to the word lackluster, though they only fell 1-0.

The game started off surprisingly brightly for the Rapids, with possession going both ways early on and very few chances throughout the first six or seven minutes of play. At that point, the tide turned and the Rapids started to play back on their heels as Los Angeles began taking the ball at their own pace and barraging the Rapids with shots.

Matt Pickens had a heck of a match for the first half hour as the Galaxy outshot them by a large margin, getting six shots on goal before the Rapids even managed one. The lapses that the defensive line kept making ad nauseum eventually got to Pickens and ended with Landon Donovan collecting a pass while wide open at the edge of the area, snapping home his 12th goal of the season right into the low corner.

The game stayed pretty much the same way for the rest of the match, with the Rapids trying to play counter attack but mostly failing due to the defenses inability to push the ball up the pitch. Marvell Wynne and Danny Earls were especially bad with possession on the night. Wells Thompson thought he had scored a goal but was caught offside midway through the second half, but past that the Rapids had very little to speak of offensively as they started a Macoumba Kandji and Caleb Folan front line. Kandji wound up being subbed early on for Sanna Nyassi thanks to what looked like a knee injury. Not good for Mac.

The Rapids will get Moor back and have a chance to get back on track next Saturday as they play Toronto FC in BMO Field, a place that the Rapids have never won a game at. Until then, see you on Tuesday for Santos Laguna.

MAN OF THE MATCH - Matt Pickens. The only reason this game wasn't 4-0 was Pickens and his amazing gang of saves as the game went along.

GOAT OF THE MATCH - Marvell Wynne. In a bad back four, he was the worst of the bunch. I've said before that Wynne's successful switch to center back is almost certainly because his defensive errors are always nullified by Drew Moor. Looks like I might be right on that.