Sep 9, 2007, 4:46 GMT
Los Angeles, CA - Alan Gordon, Edson Buddle and Kyle Martino scored in the second half as Los Angeles rolled to a 3-1 win over Colorado on Saturday to snap its six-game losing streak.
The Galaxy won for the first time since David Beckham - who is sidelined with a knee injury - made his Major League Soccer debut on Aug. 9. L.A. was winless in eight overall, tying two games before the start of the losing streak.
Without Beckham or Landon Donovan, who is playing with the United States in its friendly against Brazil on Sunday, Los Angeles looked as good as it has all season.
After a scoreless first half, Los Angeles (4-11-5) scored just seconds into the second half and continued to pull away. Colorado (7-10-7) had its four- game unbeaten streak end and dropped out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
Colorado is now one point behind Chicago, which beat Columbus 1-0 on Saturday to move into eighth in the playoff standings. Colorado and Columbus have 28 points apiece.
Los Angeles is still last in the Western Conference, but is now just one point behind Real Salt Lake.
The Galaxy got the spark they've needed since their last win on July 4 early in the second half when Gordon scored his second goal of the season.
Just seconds into the second half, Los Angeles' Peter Vagenas played a long ball over Colorado's defense to a streaking Gordon. The ball took a bounce by Colorado goalie Bouna Coundoul and Gordon just tapped it into an open net.
Coundoul was injured on the play when he tried to dive to make a play on the ball and was removed minutes later for Zach Thornton. Coundoul was the only Rapids player who had played in every minute of every game this season.
Buddle took advantage of the rusty Thornton minutes later when he finished a breakaway with a little chip shot. Vagenas and Cobi Jones set up the goal and Buddle finished in the 63rd minute by chipping the ball over Thornton as he charged off his line to try and cut down the angle.
Martino put the game away in the 70th minute with a lunging header off a cross from Chris Klein. Jones also picked up an assist on Martino's second goal of the season.
Mehdi Ballouchy scored his first goal of the season in the 89th minute for Colorado, but it was too little, too late.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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