Galaxy opens MLS Playoffs with a rout against the Colorado Rapids

CARSON — The Galaxy returned to the MLS playoffs with a dominant night Saturday.

Facing a Colorado Rapids team that it had defeated twice in the regular season, the Galaxy took a one-goal lead into halftime, then erupted for four goals in the second half to secure a 5-0 rout in front of 24,537 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The second game of the best-of-three series is Friday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado. If a third game is necessary, it would be Nov. 9 back at DHSP. If the Galaxy wraps up the series Friday, it would have nearly a three-week wait before the start of the conference semifinals.

That was far from the players’ mind Saturday.

Dejan Joveljić opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, giving the Galaxy a 1-0 lead at halftime. On the other side of the half, the Galaxy put the game away quickly. In the 52nd minute, John Nelson got forward and scored. Two minutes later, Riqui Puig, assisted by Joveljić, got on the score sheet.

Joveljić added his second goal of the night, scoring in the 75th minute. Then in the 87th minute, Puig added his second goal for a 5-0 lead.

The Galaxy finished second in the Western Conference, losing the top seed on goal differential with LAFC. The second seed is the highest for the Galaxy since 2014, the year of the club’s last MLS Cup victory.

The Galaxy won both meetings against the Rapids in the regular season, a 3-2 win on July 17 at home and then 3-1 on Oct. 2 in Colorado. Despite that success, Galaxy coach Greg Vanney didn’t expect his team to overlook the Rapids.