COLORADO GOALKEEPER TIM Howard made two saves in a penalty shootout, while Kevin Doyle scored his to advance the Rapids over LA Galaxy in the Major League Soccer playoffs.
Meanwhile, Robbie Keane came on as a substitute for LA Galaxy but didn’t take a penalty.
The Rapids won 3-1 on penalties after a 1-0 victory in the second leg of a two-match Western Conference semi-final series left the teams deadlocked 1-1 on aggregate.
Los Angeles won the opening leg 1-0 at home but lost the second leg 1-0 Sunday on a goal by Colorado’s Swiss midfielder Shkelzen Gashi in the 36th minute.
The triumph puts Colorado into the Western Conference two-leg final against either FC Dallas or the Seattle Sounders, who were set to meet later Sunday.
Seattle have a 3-0 edge after the first leg. The Rapids went 2-0 against Seattle this year with a win and draw against Dallas.
The match could be the final Galaxy appearance for England’s Steven Gerrard, who opened the scoring in the penalty showdown before Doyle equalized for Colorado.
Giovani dos Santos sent his kick over the crossbar to sting the Galaxy and Frenchman Sebastien Le Toux put Colorado ahead to stay with his attempt into the open left half of the net.
England’s Ashley Cole saw his first-ever competitive penalty kick knocked aside by Howard, who dived to his right to deny the Galaxy star.
Colorado’s Marco Pappa put the hosts on the brink with a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner.
Howard ended matters with another diving save to the right to deny the Galaxy’s Jeff Larentowicz.
With additional reporting from Emma Duffy.
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Still no league medal for Stevie G :(
@Ted Striker: Wouldn’t have got one regardless, they get championship rings over there like in NFL.
La Galaxy were so so poor.Cork City or Dundalk would have a field day playing either of those teams 2night
I’d say it was Claudines fault!
It was always a dream of Keane’s to take the 5th peno in an Mls playoff game !
I fuking hate Ashley Cole … Delighted for him.
You mean delighted for yourself John :-) Yeah Cole has always been one of those players opposition fans love to hate.
What a left back though! In his prime there were few better
Keane was probably on pen 5, I never understood that way of thinking.