Los Angeles

LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids Play to 1-1 Draw in Battle for MLS Supremacy

Shkelzen Gashi scored for the Rapids and Daniel Steres netted the equalizer for the Galaxy ten minutes later, as Colorado and Los Angeles played to a 1-1 draw in a battle for MLS supremacy on Saturday night at StubHub Center.

Age is nothing but a number.

Tim Howard made five stupendous saves and Steven Gerrard notched an assist as the old-timers dazzled for their respective teams in a 1-1 draw at StubHub Center on Saturday night.

"On a night we played well, we're at fault for not finishing our chances," Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said of the result. "I thought we should have scored a few goals, but that's soccer. Don't tell me we had more shots and possession and that garbage, it was 1-1. It's just another lesson that the score is the only statistic that means anything."

Shkelzen Gashi scored for Colorado and Daniel Steres netted the equalizer for Los Angeles ten minutes later as the Rapids and Galaxy each earned a point in a critical battle for MLS supremacy.

"Tim's come up huge. Tonight he had a great game for us," said Colorado head coach Pablo Mastroeni. "To put forth a performance like this away from home against the most potent attack in the lead and most important to keep adding points and keeping making a run here speaks volumes."

Both teams needed a win as they each stand near the top of the table in second and third in the MLS Western Conference standings, respectively.

The 37-year-old longtime keeper of the United States Men's National Team was forced into action early and often as Howard got huge as a hippopotamus to stop Gyasi Zardes from scoring an open goal in the 11th minute. 

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"He's a great keeper," Zardes said of his USA teammate. "It was very simple, control it, and play it. Sure enough, his trailing hand got a hand on it."

Gerrard proved that there's still life left in his 36-year-old body as the midfielder sent a great through ball inside the box to Zardes who blasted a shot right at his Stars and Stripes teammate. Howard stayed big on the play and was able to reduce the target for Zardes, denying the game's first goal.

After a scoreless first half, Gashi gave the Rapids a 1-0 lead when his powerful strike from outside the box found the top left corner of the net. Marlon Hairston sent a pass across the box and Gashi blasted it past a defenseless Brian Rowe who could only watch helplessly on the play.

"That was a great finish," defender Jelle Van Damme said of the Rapids' goal. "That's all I can say for the moment without seeing the images, but it was a great finish."

Steres found the equalizer off a set piece in the 62nd minute. The play was set up by Emmanuel Boateng who sliced through the Rapids defense for a left-footed shot that was saved by Howard who deflected it out of play.

On the ensuing corner kick, Gerrard sent the ball into the box towards Steres who headed it to the far post for the game-tying goal. The goal gave Gerrard his 11th assist as the Englishman now ranks second in the MLS in assists this season.

"I thought all night we had an advantage on set pieces," Steres said of the equalizer. "He [Gerrard] puts in a great ball and I got my head on it."

Rowe was knocked out of the game late in the second half when a flying knee from teammate Nigel de Jong appeared to strike Rowe in the back of the head/neck area.

Rowe lie motionless on the pitch for several minutes before he was helped off the field and substituted for Dan Kennedy.

"In the beginning I was scared. He was gone I think," Van Damme said of his keeper. "When he got up and he walks I knew it was going to be fine. I'm happy that it's not that bad."

Players of the Game:

Shkelzen Gashi: Goal.
Daniel Steres: Goal. 
Tim Howard: 5 Saves.

Three Takeaways:

1. Tttttimmmy! The Colorado Rapids goalkeeper may be 37-years-old, but he still can man the pipes as he was seemingly in the right place at the right time throughout the night to thwart the Galaxy attack. Howard made a total of 5 saves and many more impressive plays in the game.

2. Grand Ol' Gerrard: Gerrard had an assist and arguably should have had a few more as the English midfielder was everywhere on the pitch on Saturday night. Gerrard created multiple chances from the wings, ultimately recording his 11th assist on a corner kick in the 62nd minute. Gerrard's 11 assists on the year are good for second in the MLS.

3. Olympic Fever: LA Galaxy defender, Jelle Van Damme, may have a future as a gymnast in the Olympics after he attempted an acrobatic header that hit the far post in the 26th minute.

Up Next:

Galaxy (9-11-3, 38 points): Los Angeles heads to the east coast where they'll take on NYCFC and the Chicago Fire.

Rapids (11-9-3, 42 points): Colorado returns to Mile High to host Orlando City SC on Saturday, August 20th.

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