COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Rookies Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil scored first-half goals, Riqui Puig scored twice in second-half stoppage time and the Los Angeles Galaxy rounded out a first-round win over the Colorado Rapids with a fourth from -1 win in the MLS Cup on Friday evening.

Pec, who scored 16 goals in the regular season, scored his first postseason goal just eight minutes into the game when he deflected a clearance attempt from Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen into the net.

The Rapids responded with an unassisted goal from Oliver Larraz – his first in his first postseason – to tie the score in the 19th minute of the best-of-three series.

The second-seeded Galaxy took a 2-1 lead into halftime when Paintsil took a pass from Maya Yoshida in the third minute of stoppage time and scored his first goal of the season. Yoshida’s assist was his first in two career playoff starts.

Puig, who scored two goals in the Galaxy’s 5-0 win in the opening game, put the finishing touches on the win with goals in the first and third minutes of stoppage time. He did not record a goal or an assist in two playoff starts for LA in 2022.

Diego Fagúndez, in his ninth appearance of the season, scored his second assist of his career on Puig’s first goal. Pec made his second straight postseason appearance, with an assist on his second.

John McCarthy saved three shots in his second playoff start for the Galaxy after keeping a clean sheet in his first playoff start. His only other postseason start came in 2020 with Inter Miami.

Steffen totaled four saves in his 10th career postseason start and tied for second place with the seventh-seeded Rapids.

The Galaxy went 15-4 against Colorado in four meetings this season. LA improves to 9-2-0 all-time in the postseason against the Rapids, including 4-2-0 on the road.

LA will face the winner of the series between No. 3 seed Real Salt Lake and No. 6 seed Minnesota United in the next round.

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AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer