PASADENA, Calif. (AP) _ Greg Vanney scored on a penalty kick with 16 minutes to play and the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 Saturday night in a Major League Soccer opener.

The winning score came after referee Ricardo Valenzuela awarded the penalty kick for Marcelo Balboa's foul on Mauricio Cienfuegos. Vanney put the kick into the upper left corner of the net.

Colorado ended its MLS-record 743-minute scoreless drought, including playoff games, nine minutes into the second half on Paul Bravo's penalty kick. Valenzuela awarded the kick after ruling Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman fouled Bravo.

Cobi Jones opened the scoring for the hosts in the 60th minute, taking Cienfuegos' short pass, taking one touch and putting a shot from just outside the penalty area into the upper right corner of the net.

The Galaxy led 18-10 in shots and 10-3 in shots on goal. Rapids goalkeeper Adin Brown made eight saves, while Hartman made two.

Injuries kept four Colorado starters out of the lineup, while leading scorer Jorge Dely Valdes missed the match to play for Panama in a World Cup qualifier against Nicaragua.

Los Angeles played without Robin Fraser, the 1999 MLS defender of the year, who has a strained left groin.

Coach Sigi Schmid, the 1999 coach of the year, served a one-match suspension for comments about the refereeing in the Galaxy's 2-0 loss to D.C. United in MLS Cup '99.