Rapids Play For 0-0 Draw But Lose

Colorado went to LA looking for a scoreless draw.  When that didn't happen they had no Plan B.  Luckily they kept it to a 1-0 loss, which isn't the end of the world, but we're going to have to see a completely different team on Sunday if we're going to advance.

General Impressions:

• Putting only 3 real attacking players in the starting XI (Gashi, Badji, and Doyle) was a real sign that this was all about defense.
• Combined the starting lineup had 5 total shots, none on goal.  Our subs (Jones and Badji) had 3 shots between the two of them including our only shot on target (Jones' long shot that had to be palmed away).
• For a large part the defensive tactic worked.  Howard had to come up big a few times but for the majority of play the Galaxy attack was stymied.
• But it only takes 1 mistake, and LA got it in the 55th minute.  A long series around the LA box where Colorado couldn't clear ended in a dos Santos shot that was going in but would have likely been saved by Howard.  Sjoberg tried to head it over the net and instead redirected it to the opposite corner.  No official own goal but Sjoberg took away any chance of a save.
• After that it was desperate attack with no result.
• Gashi was invisible in this match.  Not nearly good enough from a DP.
• We've now gone 3 games with only 1 goal.  That ties our worst offensive run of the season.  We'll need to change that quickly for the next game.
• One thing we must absolutely do on Sunday is shut LA out for at least the first 90 minutes.  With the away goals rule, a LA goal would force us to score 3 to win the series and that's not something I think we can do.  (If and when we get into the extra 30 minutes then the away goals rule is dropped.)
• Realistically our best option is to take a 1-0 lead into the extra time.  The longer the game goes at altitude the more tired an old LA team will get.  Plus if we get to PKs we have Tim Howard.
• Maybe a 2-0 win is possible in 90 minutes.  I don't think 3-1 (or more) is.

Man of the Match: Jared Watts.  Yeah, I'm surprised too.  Other than passing when he should have shot in the first half though he did everything right.  He had some huge clearances in that first half.