On Wednesday night at Carson, California, the Los Angeles Galaxy secured a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids, thanks to a goal and an assist from Joseph Paintsil. Diego Fagundez and Riqui Puig also scored for the Galaxy, with Gabriel Pec providing two assists. This win propelled the Galaxy (13-5-7, 46 points) to the top spot in the Western Conference standings, following a 2-0 loss to FC Dallas in their previous match.
Despite missing their leading scorer Dejan Joveljic due to a hamstring injury for the second consecutive game, the Galaxy put on a strong performance. Goalkeeper John McCarthy made seven saves to secure the win, while Colorado’s Zack Steffen had six stops.
The first half saw an exciting display of goals, with Fagundez opening the scoring for the Galaxy in the 12th minute. Colorado equalized through Kevin Cabral in the 32nd minute, but the Galaxy regained the lead with Paintsil’s goal in the 38th minute. Puig extended the lead to 3-1 just five minutes later. The Rapids managed to pull one back right before halftime through Cole Bassett’s goal.
The second half remained goalless, with both teams creating opportunities but failing to find the back of the net. Overall, the Galaxy outshot Colorado 16-13, with both teams registering nine shots on target.
This victory was crucial for the Galaxy as it moved them into first place in the Western Conference, overtaking Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles FC. The Galaxy have been strong at home this season, with their only home loss coming against LAFC at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The Rapids (11-9-5, 38 points) put up a good fight, but ultimately fell short against a determined Galaxy side. Despite holding a positive record against the Galaxy since 2018, the Rapids couldn’t secure a win in this matchup.
With the win, the Galaxy continue to show their strength in the Western Conference and will look to maintain their position at the top of the standings in the upcoming games.