Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena warned his team it couldn’t afford any mistakes in Wednesday’s elimination-round playoff game with Real Salt Lake. So it didn’t make any, riding two first-half goals from rookie Ema Boateng and another from the ageless Alan Gordon to a 3-1 victory that sends the Galaxy on to the Western Conference semifinals this weekend.
The two-leg playoff with the Colorado Rapids begins Sunday at the StubHub Center and concludes Nov. 6 in suburban Denver, where the winner will be determined on aggregate goals. And the Galaxy, who appeared to be sleepwalking through most of the last three months, may be finding their stride just in time.