TWO GOALS IN FIRST NINE MINUTES ENOUGH AS GALAXY SINKS RAPIDS 6-1 TO COMPLETE SEASON SWEEP

DENVER (Wednesday, August 5, 1998) -- The Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Colorado Rapids, 6-1, on Wednesday night at Mile High Stadium. Cobi Jones had his second hat-trick of the season against Colorado and Carlos Hermosillo added three assists to pace Los Angeles. Welton also added two goals and one assist.

Los Angeles' victory was its fourth of the season against Colorado (11-11, 29 pts.), sweeping the 1998 regular-season series. Los Angeles (17-6, 49 pts.) has now won six consecutive games against the Rapids dating back to the 1997 season.

The loss for Colorado snapped the Rapids' team-record six-game home winning streak. The loss also prevented Colorado from going two games over .500 for what would have been the first time in team history. Colorado had won eight of its last ten games overall heading into the match.

Jones also recorded three goals against Colorado in a 7-4 win on May 6 at the Rose Bowl.

Los Angeles took control of the game early, scoring in the third minute, and then adding the eventual game-winning goal in the ninth minute. It was Jones who opened the scoring with a brilliant strike of a Mauricio Cienfuegos cross to take the early lead.

The goal marked the first time Colorado had not scored the first goal since May 23 in Chicago, ending a string of ten consecutive games scoring first.

Six minutes later the lead was doubled when Welton stripped Sean Henderson and dribbled in alone on Rapids goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, before beating the fallen keeper for a 2-0 Los Angeles lead.

With Colorado forced to push up in numbers, they were forced to play right into the Galaxy's preferred style of counter-attacking soccer. It was exactly this that enabled Jones to strike for his second goal, in the 30th minute, to give the Galaxy a 3-0 lead after a build up from Hermosillo and Brazilian forward Welton.

Four minutes before the break, Rapids coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick inserted Canadian Jason Bent into the lineup, replacing Sean Henderson at left fullback.

After half-time, Colorado finally got on the board through the red-hot Wolde Harris. A Marcelo Balboa ball unlocked Harris into the box, and the Jamaican slid the ball past Galaxy keeper Kevin Hartman to the far post to cut the lead to 3-1.

The goal was Harris' third in three games and fourth in the last five outings, giving him nine on the season and tying him with Paul Bravo for the team lead.

But as quickly as the Rapids had looked to have a chance to get back into the game, MLS' top team stamped out all hope with a back-breaking goal just two minutes later, through Mauricio Cienfuegos.

The goal seemed to kill off most of Colorado's spirit, leaving the Galaxy to add two late goals to fill out the final scoreline. Jones completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute, before Welton added the final insult just three minutes from time, completing the season sweep for Los Angeles, and sending the Rapids into a weekend tilt with Kansas City with many questions to address.

3rd minute: Carlos Hermosillo, making his Mile High debut with the Galaxy, finds Mauricio Cienfuegos surviving a Rapids offside trap on the right side. Cienfuegos one-times a cross into the box where LA's Cobi Jones volleys the ball, hitting the underside of the crossbar, deflecting into the goal pass Marcus Hahnemann.
8th minute: Chris Martinez receives the ball from Peter Vermes on the right field flank and breaks into the Galaxy's zone. After receiving the cross from Martinez, Waldir flips the ball back out to the top of the penalty circle where Ross Paule slams a shot on frame and into the hands of LA goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
9th minute: Galaxy forward Welton intercepts an errant pass from Rapids' defender Sean Henderson. The Brazilian beats Hahnemann one-on-one, striking it home for a 2-1 lead.
16th minute: Jones beats Sean Henderson on the right flank, striking a cross to LA midfielder Martin Machon. Machon misses the volley opportunity by a few inches, letting the ball go wide.
18th minute: Chris Henderson provides Adrian Paz with a great pass to the right corner flag. Paz puts the ball to the far post, where Steve Trittschuh battles with Ezra Hendrickson for a header that soars high.
21st minute: Jones races down the right side for LA, crossing the ball far post where Hermosillo connects with a header to the short, lower corner. Hahnemann makes an incredible save from the far side, Welton strips the ball from Hahnemann, but has his effort cleared off the line by a Rapids defender.
25th minute: Jones sweeps up a deflected Rapids pass and dances downfield toward the Colorado end. After drawing the defenders out, Jones flicks the ball to a breaking Hermosillo for a open shot. Hahnemann wins the race to the spot and makes the non-contact save.
30th minute: Welton receives the ball inside the offside trap, dancing past four Rapids defenders toward the right sideline and pushes the ball back to Hermosillo. Hermosillo one-times it to a streaking Jones, who gambled with the trap and won, beating Hahnemann and running the ball into the open goal.
39th minute: Steve Jolley receives a yellow card for hard tackle. 41st minute: Cienfuegos beats two defenders and travels straight down the middle. He swings the ball to Jones on the right and Jones pops it into the area, where it slid, untouched, past two strikers and three defenders, resulting in a goal kick.
41st minute: Jason Bent makes his Mile High Stadium debut for the Rapids, replacing Sean Henderson.
64th minute: Vermes finds Balboa who plays Harris through, alone on Hartman. Harris holds off a defender and slots the ball far post to cut the lead to 3-1.
66th minute: Two minutes after Colorado scores, Los Angeles responds as Cienfuegos blasts a Hermosillo pass past Hahnemann to extend the lead back to three goals.
83rd minute: Martin Machon finds Jones, who beats Hahnemann to the far post to complete the hat-trick.
87th minute: Machon feeds Welton, who beats Hahnemann to complete the scoring.

The Rapids travel to Kansas City to face the Wizards on Saturday, August 8, at 6:30 p.m. MDT at Arrowhead Stadium. The Rapids will look to avenge a 4-1 loss to Kansas City at Arrowhead on July 19. Saturday's game will be televised live on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain.

The Rapids then return home to Mile High on Saturday, August 15, when they host the Dallas Burn at 7:00 p.m.

Linescore
			1		2		F	
Los Angeles		3		3		6
Colorado		0		1		1

Scoring

COL -- Harris (Balboa, Vermes) 64.
LA --  Jones (Cienfuegos, Hermosillo) 3, Welton (unassisted) 9, Jones 
(Hermosillo, Welton) 30, Cienfuegos (Hermosillo, Pena) 66, Jones 
(Machon) 83, Welton (Machon, Mathis) 87.

Lineups

COL -- Marcus Hahnemann, Sean Henderson (Jason Bent 41), Peter Vermes, 
Steve Trittschuh, Chris Martinez (Marquis White 81), Chris Henderson, 
Marcelo Balboa, Paul Bravo, Ross Paule, Adrian Paz, Waldir (Wolde Harris 
54).

LA -- Kevin Hartman, Ezra Hendrickson, Steve Jolley, Paul Caligiuri, Joe 
Franchino (Greg Vanney 85), Mauricio Cienfuegos (Daniel Hernandez 80), 
Danny Pena, Martin Machon, Welton, Cobi Jones, Carlos Hermosillo (Clint 
Mathis 74).

STATS			  	   LA 			COL
Total shots			   13			  15

Shots on goal			    9			   4
Saves				    3			   3
Fouls				   20			   7
Offside			    	    1			   3
Corner kicks			    3	 		   3

Cautions:  	COL: None
		LA: Joe Franchino (Repeated Foul) 39, Ezra Hendrickson
(Foul Tackle)71

Ejections:	COL: None
		LA: None

Referee:  Kevin Terry
Asst:	Richard Eddy	
Asst:	Sandra Hunt	 
4th Official:  Casey Dout	

Attendance: 9,342

"It must just be the match-up with Colorado, but I just seem to find space whenever we play them. The early goals took them out of their game, and when they had to push up, that made it easy for me to get behind the defense and led to the goals."

"It took us a while to adjust to having Hermosillo in the team, but I think tonight was a big step in that direction. We are learning what he can do and how he likes the ball. We will only get better and more in sync as we play more games together."

"This was a different game than the last time we met. They played a great game against us last time we met, but tonight they did not have the same attack. We were just able to get right through their defense."

"I think today was one of the best games I have played since I came here. I am very pleased because I am starting to work a lot better with the team, and we all worked very well together tonight when we attacked."

"With the speed this team has on the wings, they make it very easy for me to find space behind them. As we learn to play together more, we will become more and more dangerous."

"You don't become a bad team in one game, the same way you do not become a good team in one game. There is no reason to panic, and it would be silly to forget about all the good work we have done over the past ten games."

"Cobi Jones has to love to play against us. I bet he wishes we were on the schedule a couple more times this season."

"This game was over after nine minutes. With the lead, they forced us to push up, which is exactly what they love, because then their counter-attack can take over, and that is exactly what happened."

"Jason Bent had a very good showing tonight. His play tonight and his development since he has joined us has put him in a position to fight for a starting position immediately."

"We came out flat and they punished us right away. From there, it was just their style of game. It is one of those nights that you just write off and move on."

"Sometimes after a break, you come back flat. After the all-star break, it seems that is just what happened. Not making any excuses, but that may have had something to do with tonight, I am not sure."

"Personally, I am on a little bit of a roll, but that doesn't make any difference after a game like tonight. We got beat badly as a team tonight, and we have to shake it off and look ahead."

"I just feel very confident that when I get the ball, I will finish. Balboa played me a great ball tonight, and I just reacted and was able to put it home. That is just kind of the way things have been going for me lately."

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