Football
2021 Major League Soccer, Regular Season
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Reuters 3y

Rapids score late to earn draw vs. Galaxy

Substitute Samuel Grandsir scored just his second goal since arriving in MLS to help the LA Galaxy salvage a 1-1 draw at the Colorado Rapids on Saturday in Commerce City, Colo.

Grandsir's 80th-minute equalizer canceled out Michael Barrios' sixth goal of the season 14 minutes earlier as the Galaxy (11-8-4, 37 points) earned a second consecutive draw on the road.

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The Galaxy welcomed team leading scorer Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez back from injury on Saturday.

In his first action since he was a late scratch with a calf injury in July 4, Chicharito started and played 62 minutes before departing as part of a double substitution that saw Grandsir enter the game.

Barrios' goal was his first since a 3-1 win at Houston on Aug. 14 for the Rapids (12-4-6, 42 points), who extended their unbeaten run to eight matches. Colorado, however, missed the chance to move at least momentarily above Seattle into the top spot in the Western Conference standings.

The opening goal came during arguably Colorado's best stretch of play, one that looked more likely to result in a second goal for the home side than a first from the visitors.

The Rapids finished with a 16-8 advantage in overall shots, though the fourth-place Galaxy matched them with three on target.

But Grandsir struck on a devastating and direct attack 10 minutes from full time, simply outrunning his defender to reach Daniel Steres' ball from the back.

After controlling the ball with his first touch, he drove a ferocious half volley straight at William Yarbrough with his second. The goalkeeper either misjudged or simply did not get a strong enough hand on the effort, and instead of pushing it away to safety saw it continue off his gloves into his net.

There was nothing sloppy about the Rapids' opener.

Collen Warner started the attack when he sprayed a ball to substitute Andre Shinyashiki on the right wing. Shinyashiki curled in a perfect outswinging cross toward the back post, where Barrios created the space to guide a firm header beyond goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

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