Dipo Akinyemi scores twice but York are crushed at home by high-flying Barnet

By Sports Desk September 26, 2023

Barnet turned on the style in the second half to crush York 4-2 in the Vanarama National League.

The home side actually started the better, going ahead through Dipo Akinyemi’s seventh-minute lobbed opener.

But Barnet hit back, Idris Kanu having a goal ruled out for offside before Harry Pritchard equalised from the edge of the box (12).

Kanu gave the visitors the lead from close range (64) and the result was secured three minutes later when Reece Hall-Johnson headed in at the back post.

Zak Brunt nodded in a fourth with eight minutes to go as Barnet rubbed salt into the wound, before Akinyemi’s last-minute consolation.

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    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic

    If the Rapids are to take the match back to LA Galaxy for a decider, they will need goals and Mihailovic will be crucial. He boasts the second-most goals scored for Colorado (11) in the MLS, only four behind top scorer Rafael Navarro.

    He is also their top assister (10), meaning he has the most goal contributions on the squad (21). Distribution is clearly a strong point as he has more than double the number of key passes (87) than any other Rapids player – Cole Bassett comes closest on 35.

    LA Galaxy - Dejan Joveljic

    Galaxy's top scorer, Joveljic, has 17 goals in the MLS so far this season and has also delivered the lowest minutes per goal (118.6). He will surely hope to add to the tally when he travels to Colorado.

    He was on target in game one as he and Riqui Puig each scored twice in Galaxy’s win over Colorado.

    It makes them the third pair of Galaxy teammates to each score twice in a playoff game, along with Cobi Jones and Carlos Ruiz in 2002 and Carlos Hermosillo and Danny Pena in 1998.

    MATCH PREDICTION – LA GALAXY WIN

    Galaxy have won each of their three meetings with Colorado this season, including the 5-0 win in Game One on Saturday.

    Prior to that, Galaxy had won only one of their 11 matches against the Rapids between 2018 and 2023 (D3 L7).

    That 5-0 win was only the seventh win by a margin of at least five goals in MLS Cup playoff history. It was the third of those by Galaxy, who also beat Dallas, 6-1, in 1998 and defeated Real Salt Lake, 5-0, in 2014.

    Colorado were held to just one shot in their 5-0 loss to Galaxy. It was the first time this century that the Rapids had only one shot in an MLS match, regular season or playoffs.

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    Prior to this drought, however, the Rapids had lost just three of their previous 13 regular-season matches dating back to the middle of June (W9 D1).

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Colorado Rapids – 32.5%

    Draw – 25.5%

    LA Galaxy – 42.0%

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