Free kicks pay off for Galaxy
Ned Grabavoy and Carlos Ruiz scored on free kicks to give the Los Angeles Galaxy a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids Saturday night in Carson, Calif.
Kevin Hartman stopped a late penalty kick and made three saves for his third shutout of the season to help the Galaxy (9-5-3) win their third consecutive game.A three-game winning streak and five-game unbeaten stretch came to an end for the Rapids (5-4-6).
Grabavoy, a rookie who led Indiana to the NCAA championship last year, scored his first professional goal in the 39th minute on a curving 25-yard free kick from the left side. Goalkeeper Joe Cannon bobbled the ball before dropping it behind the goal line.
In other late games, Kansas City edged D.C. United, 1-0, and Dallas and Columbus tied, 0-0.
Ruiz scored his league-leading ninth goal of the season in the 80th minute on a free kick inches outside the 18-yard penalty area. The ball deflected off a defender and settled inside the right post.
Colorado had its best chance to score in the 87th minute on John Spencer's penalty kick. But Hartman went to his left, and Spencer's shot hit the goalkeeper's right foot.
Hartman's shutout was the 43d of his Major League Soccer career and moved him to within one of former Chicago Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton for second place overall.
Colorado played without all-star defender Pablo Mastroeni, who was summoned to play for the United States against Poland yesterday.
Los Angeles missed three starters: defender Chris Albright and midfielders Andreas Herzog and Marcelo Saragosa. Albright joined Mastroeni on US roster against Poland. Herzog was serving a league-mandated suspension after receiving a yellow card July 4 against San Jose. Saragosa sprained his right ankle in that game. . . .
In Kansas City, Mo., Tony Meola earned his MLS-record 54th shutout and Matt Taylor scored in the 18th minute to lift the Wizards.
The Wizards (8-4-4) ran their unbeaten streak to seven games with their fifth victory in their last seven games. D.C. United dropped to 5-6-5.
Arnaud began the scoring play by stripping D.C. defender Brian Carroll of the ball. Arnaud quickly pushed the ball forward and to the right side of the United penalty area, then outran Carroll to the ball, getting off a hard shot to the far post.
The shot got past goalkeeper Troy Perkins and was about to roll in when Taylor, a rookie starting just his second professional game, dashed in and punctuated it with a punch across the line.
Teen sensation Freddy Adu made his sixth start for United before the season-high crowd of 26,223. Adu had several good touches on the ball in the first half, but did not get a shot off before being taken out of the game in the 70th minute. . . .
In Dallas, Columbus' Jon Busch made five saves for his fifth shutout of the season, and Dallas' Jeff Cassar stopped two shots for his first shutout of the year in the scoreless tie.
Columbus (5-5-4) and Dallas (5-5-5) also played a scoreless draw May 1 in Columbus.
Busch made his best stop in the 76th minute, sliding to deflect Toni Nhleko's shot with his right knee. Nhleko's shot came from just inside the goalie's box.
