JUNIOR AGOGO OVERTIME GOAL GIVES RAPIDS 1-0 WIN OVER LOS ANGELES

Agogo Tallies League-Leading Fourth Game-Winning Goal, Adin Brown Earns Shutout As Rapids Close To One Game Out Of Second Place In Western Division

DENVER (Saturday, June 10, 2000) - The Colorado Rapids defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy, 1-0, on Saturday night at Mile High Stadium. Forward Junior Agogo scored in the final minute of the first sudden-death overtime to give the Rapids (7-8-0, 21 points) the win.

After a scoreless 94 minutes, Agogo capitalized on a turnover by Galaxy (6-3-6, 24 points) defender Paul Caligiuri in his own box. Agogo collected Caligiuri's errant clearance and fired a shot which looked to be headed wide of the left post, but deflected off defender Robin Fraser and past helpless Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.

The goal for Agogo was his team-leading seventh of the season, and his league-leading fourth game-winner. Agogo leads the Rapids with 20 points (seven goals and six assists) in eleven matches. The game marked the first time the Rapids have played an extra session, after MLS went to two, five-minute overtime periods in 2000, abandoning the shoot-out as a means of settling games tied after 90 minutes. Rapids defender Chris Martinez contained highly-touted Mexican forward Luis Hernandez, who managed just one shot on goal all night. The one chance for the Galaxy's recent signing came just before the end of regulation, when Rapids goalkeeper Adin Brown denied him from point-blank range to send the game to extra time.

Colorado played without starters Jorge Dely Valdes (back), Joey DiGiamarino (groin) and Jason Bent (Canadian National Team). Los Angeles was missing Cobi Jones U.S. National Team), Greg Vanney (U.S. National Team) and Danny Pena (knee). After a quiet first half in which Colorado held the visitors without a single shot on goal, Colorado nearly took the lead in the 65th minute when a fancy series of one-touch passing presented Bravo with a chance he should have done better with.

Off a dead ball in the Rapids' end, the ball went from Vermillion to Agogo to Paule to Dougherty back to Paule, and finally to Agogo on the right flank, stopping only briefly in the possession of each player. Agogo took the ball down the right and crossed to Bravo at the back post, but his tap-in from a bad angle found only the side netting. The Rapids chances seemingly improved in the 72nd minute with Los Angeles' Ezra Hendrickson was ejected after picking up his second yellow card. But Colorado never could really take advantage of the extra attacker, and Los Angeles would have stolen the game if not for a piece of brilliance by Brown in the Colorado goal two minutes into stoppage time. Midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos found Hernandez on the left side, and the Mexican finally was able to shake Martinez, and get in alone on Brown at the left side of the six-yard box. With the goalkeeper seemingly at his mercy, Hernandez picked put the lower, left corner and fired from point-blank range, but the future Olympian showed why he looks to be the first choice in Sydney later this year, diving down to deny Hernandez and the Galaxy. With that, the Rapids went to the uncharted territory of extra time, and Agogo captured the three points for the Rapids. Hitting a shot that was blocked in the box by Caligiuri, Agogo was then literally hit in the midsection by Caligiuri's poor clearing attempt. It was then that the Ghanaian-born striker wound up and fired, the ball deflecting off of Fraser and nestling in the lower, left corner, past a diving Hartman.

UP NEXT: The Rapids open the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 14, when they travel to face the A-League's Richmond Kickers. Colorado, who lost to Rochester of the A-League in last year's Open Cup championship game, enters the tournament in the second round.

The Rapids return to MLS action next Saturday, June 17, when they host the Columbus Crew at Mile High Stadium at 7:00 p.m. (MT).

LINESCORE:
		1		2	OT1	F
Los Angeles 	0		0	0	0
Colorado	0		0	1	1

SCORING:
LA - None.
COL - Agogo (unassisted) 95

MINUTE BY MINUTE:

10th minute: Vaudreuil from the left feeds Agogo who battles Hendrickson for position at the top of the box, passes back to Vaudreuil whose chips to the far post over Hartman's head, Hartman quickly backpedals and makes a leaping catch to make the save.

18: Kelly on the left side dribbles by Thomas into the box and steps up, his shot is blocked over the endline by Martinez.

20: Moore giveaway to Ibsen, finds Hernandez at the top of the 18, Hernandez's shot is just high over the bar.

22: Dougherty corner kick to the middle of the box, Agogo's header is blocked over the goal.

24: Agogo controls at midfield plays a give-and-go to Bravo, Agogo's shot at a difficult angle is wide right.

26: Yellow card to Hendrickson for shirt pulling. 37: Dougherty corner from the right finds Balboa far post, Balboa's header from ten yards out is wide left.

40: Kelly on a defensive miscue plays to Hernandez on the right side at the top of the box, Hernandez dribbles with Martinez marking tight tries to cross in the box, but his offering is headed out by Balboa. 44: Vaudreuil on the right plays a give-and-go with Vermillion on the right side, Vaudreuil crosses to Agogo in the middle of the box who heads far post to Dougherty, Dougherty touches once to control and cuts inside for a chip shot far post wide right.

46: Paule substitutes for Zambrano.

47: George on the right side dribbles to the endline unmarked his shot is saved by Brown but the rebound falls back to George but a sliding Balboa collects the ball between his legs and kicks it safely away. 48: George on the right side cross to Hendrickson in the box, Hendrickson's header is just high.

55: Yellow card on Vermillion for a tackle from behind.

57: Fraser substitutes for Kelly.

60: Hernandez on the endline fires a shot saved by Brown. 63: Moore cross from the right finds Thomas far post, Thomas' header is wide left.

65: Vermillion free kick to Agogo, Agogo chests down to Paule, Paule one-touches to Dougherty in the middle, Dougherty touches to Paule who slips behind his defender and passes to a streaking Agogo on the right whose crosses to the far post, Bravo misses the tap in wide left.

72: Yellow card issued to Hendrickson for a tackle from behind. Red-card ejection for a second yellow card.

74: Dougherty's free kick shot from 25 yards out is into the chest of Hartman.

75: Victorine substitutes for Ibsen.

78: Polic substitutes for George.

82: Polic on the right dribbles in past Martinez, alone on Brown but Martinez tackles the ball away.

85: Vermillion rips by Vagenas, dribbles alone on the right side and fires a shot from 19 yards out wide right.

90: Paule to Agogo off a counter attack on the right side, Agogo's shot is wide left.

92+: Cienfuegos on the right crosses to Hernandez who slips behind Martinez, Hernandez on the breakaway alone on Brown, Brown stones him and the ball is cleared away.

93+: Martinez on the left side dribbles in and shoots, Hartman saves.

91: Limpar substitutes for Dougherty.

93: Vermillion dribbles into the middle of the field touches to Bravo at the top of the box, Bravo turns and fires wide left from 18 yards out.

95: Agogo fires a shot deflected by Caligiuri, Caligiuri poorly clears back to Agogo, Agogo's shot hits Fraser in the midsection and deflects into the goal. Rapids 1- Galaxy 0.

Lineups (Players are listed right-to-left in starting formation by position):
COL (3-5-2) -- GK - Adin Brown; D - Keyeno Thomas, Scott Vermillion, Chris Martinez;
M - David Vaudreuil, Paul Bravo, Matt Okoh, Paul Dougherty (Anders Limpar 91),
Jason Moore; F - Junior Agogo, Henry Zambrano (Ross Paule 46).
LA (4-4-2) -- GK - Kevin Hartman; D - Ezra Hendrickson, Zak Ibsen (Sasha Victorine 75),
Paul Caliguri, Danny Califf; M- Simon Elliott, Mauricio Cienfuegos,
Brian Kelly (Robin Fraser 57), Peter Vagenas; F- Luis Hernandez,
Seth George (Ivan Polic 78).
STATS				LA			COL
Total shots			10			19
Shots on goal			2			7

Saves				4			2

Fouls				17			14

Offside				5			3

Corner kicks			5			6
 
Cautions:  	LA: Hendrickson (shirt pulling) 26, Hendrickson (tackle f/
behind) 72
COL: Vermillion (tackle f/ behind) 55, Agogo (pushing) 86
Ejections:  	LA: Hendrickson (2nd yellow card) 72
		COL: None

Referee:  Paul Tamberino 
Asst:  Terry Vaughn
Asst: Rudy Bettman
4th Official: Craig Burns

Attendance: 13,431

RAPIDS COACH GLENN "MOOCH" MYERNICK:

"This was the best ninety minutes we have played all season. We have had several games where we have played one good half, or even more, but tonight we were good all night."

"Chris Martinez was super tonight. One of our focuses was to contain Hernandez, of course, and he did a great job on him. One of the few times Hernandez did lose Marty, Adin Brown came up big and kept us in it, so it was a great team effort tonight to get the shutout." "The goal came off a deflection, but Agogo worked hard all night and he worked hard on that play. I thought that play was over twice before he scored the goal, he just did not give up and kept working until he got the ball back and shot."

RAPIDS FORWARD JUNIOR AGOGO:

"The shot obviously hit the defender and went in, and that's just the way it is going for me right now. I just hope I can keep it going and we can get back to winning games consistently."

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