Justin Haak’s header off a Robert Taylor corner in the 74th minute was the go-ahead goal as the Los Angeles Galaxy rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday in Carson, Calif.
The Galaxy (9-10-9, 36 points) overcame a 2-0 halftime deficit behind an own goal charged to Colorado defender Reggie Cannon and Joao Klauss’ seventh goal of the season. With the win, Los Angeles pulled even with Colorado at 36 points in the Western Conference standings.
Donavan Phillip and Paxten Aaronson each scored first-half goals for the Rapids (11-13-3, 36 points). Josh Atencio and Rob Holding each notched an assist for Colorado.
Cannon’s own goal cut the LA deficit to 2-1 in the 53rd minute. Klauss couldn’t connect on a lunging header, but the ball ricocheted off Cannon and into the net.
Los Angeles pulled even in the 66th minute when Colorado goalkeeper Nico Hansen mishandled a pass in front of the goal that Klauss easily tapped in. Klauss has a goal in consecutive matches.
Eight minutes later, Haak battled through two defenders to head in Taylor’s in-swinging corner kick as LA took a 3-2 lead.
Colorado opened the scoring when Atencio broke out of the midfield with possession and slipped a pass forward to Phillip, who pushed into the box. As Los Angeles goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski came off his line, Phillip ripped a left-footed strike from the left side of the box into the upper corner.
The goal was Phillip’s second in as many matches.
In the 39th minute, Aaronson boxed out Lucas Calegari and quickly gained possession of a soaring pass from Holding inside the box, setting up a one-on-one with Marcinkowski. Aaronson bounced a shot beyond the LA goalkeeper’s reach to double the Rapids’ advantage.
Aaronson has seven goals on the season.
Colorado surged in stoppage time, earning three corner kicks in the closing minutes. But Haak and Maya Yoshida made clearances, Marcinkowski slapped a corner out of bounds and Phillip’s header went over the crossbar.
Marcinkowski finished with two saves, and the Rapids’ Hansen had four.
–Field Level Media
