Rapids stretch home unbeaten streak by topping LAFC
COMMERCE CITY, COLO. » Gyasi Zardes and Diego Rubio scored first-half goals on penalty kicks as the Colorado Rapids extended their home unbeaten streak to 22 matches with a 2-0 victory over Western Conference-leading LAFC Saturday.
With the victory, the Rapids (54-3, 18 points) have tied Columbus (2008-09) and Portland (2013-14) for the fifth longest streak in MLS history. Next up is the 23-match run of the LA Galaxy (2014-15). The Houston Dynamo set the bar with a 30-game stretch (2011-13).
Zardes picked up his first goal for the Rapids since being acquired from the Columbus Crew four matches ago. The U.S. men’s national team forward beat LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. The penalty-kick opportunity came after LAFC’s Sebastian Ibeagha was whistled for kicking Rubio in the head on a clearance attempt inside the box.
Rubio’s penalty-kick score came in the 28th minute — on his second attempt. McCarthy guessed right and deflected Rubio’s first try, but McCarthy was ruled off his line after a video review and Rubio drilled his second kick into the top left corner for a 2-0 lead.
McCarthy finished with four saves for LAFC (7-3-2, 23 points), which had a six-match unbeaten streak end. William Yarbrough had one save for the Rapids.
Zardes had 54 goals and six assists in 110 regular-season games with Columbus. Zardes has 14 goals in 68 games with the U.S. men’s national team.
ORLANDO CITY 1, TORONTO FC 0 » Substitute Kyle Smith scored on a header off a corner kick in the 92nd minute to give Orlando City a victory in Toronto.
Orlando City (6-4-2, 20 points) posted its sixth shutout of the season.
Toronto (3-7-2, 11 points) has been shut out in three straight games and has lost five in a row.
Liverpool beats Chelsea in FA Cup final
LONDON » Add the FA Cup to the collection. Jürgen Klopp has now won every major title for Liverpool.
A 6-5 victory over Chelsea on penalties in Saturday’s final produced Liverpool’s first FA Cup triumph since 2006 and kept it in contention for, potentially if unlikely, a quadruple of trophies.
Just like in the League Cup final in February, the FA Cup showpiece ended 0-0 through 120 minutes before Liverpool prevailed again. This time, the Reds were helped by Chelsea midfielder Mason Mason’s penalty being saved before Konstantinos Tsimikas clinched the shootout win with his first-ever goal for the club.
“The small margins are again the difference and I cannot be more proud of my boys,” said Klopp, who has emulated Alex Ferguson with Manchester United and become only the second manager to win the European Cup, Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup with the same English club.
In two weeks, Liverpool will be hoping to win the Champions League final against Real Madrid. Before then, Klopp has to hope Manchester City slips up in the final two rounds of the Premier League and Liverpool takes advantage to regain that trophy.
“That is part of the ‘mentality monsters’ as well, going to extra time and keeping the high level, performing well,” Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker said. “It gives us even more confidence to keep on going for the Premier League and also the Champions League final. This is a fantastic moment and now we just need to enjoy it.”