An own goal in the 22nd minute lifted the Colorado Rapids to a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday in Commerce City, Colo.
Youssef Maziz drove a ball into the box on a restart from 25 yards out on the near side following a Yevhen Cheberko yellow card.
As the ball entered the 6-yard box, Jeremy Ebobisse raced across and attempted a clearance. Instead, it ricocheted off Ebobisse and inside the far post, gifting the Rapids a 1-0 lead.
Colorado (9-10-1, 28 points) goalkeeper Nico Hansen had two saves and turned in his fifth clean sheet of the season. LAFC (10-7-4, 34 points) goalie Cabral Carter tallied five saves.
In his first MLS start, Maziz pressed the Rapids’ attack throughout the first half. In the eighth minute, he weaved his way through traffic and fired a shot from a tight angle just inside the box that Carter reached out and deflected. The rebound found Rafael Navarro at the back post, but his header was easily saved.
LAFC had a chance in the 25th minute when the ball was spit out of the mixer and Tyler Boyd trapped it before firing a rocket that Hansen dove to secure.
Moments later, Jacob Shaffelburg’s shot was ticketed for the upper 90, but Hansen soared to knock the ball out of play for a corner.
Navarro threatened in the 33rd minute when Darren Yapi stretched LAFC wide with possession and connected with Navarro on a cross. But Navarro’s shot from the center of the box was corralled by Carter.
In the 40th minute, Navarro made a run into the box and was taken down by Nkosi Tafari, drawing a yellow card and a Colorado penalty kick. Navarro chopped his feet prior to the shot, but Carter dove to his left and pushed the attempt out of bounds.
Shaffelburg hit the post as LAFC sought the equalizer in the 57th minute. Hansen saved Son Heung-Min’s shot from distance just before the final whistle. The Rapids’ defense limited Los Angeles to two shots on goal. Colorado had four shots on target.
–Field Level Media
