CARSON >> It has been an emotional week for the Galaxy and there is still one more game to go.

The Galaxy had to rally from a two-goal deficit for a 2-2 draw against New York on Sunday, then the club had a berth in the U.S. Open Cup final snatched away in the final minutes Wednesday against FC Dallas.

Saturday’s challenge is trying to bounce back against the Colorado Rapids (11-3-8, 41 points) in a key Western Conference match at StubHub Center (7:30 p.m.; TWCS).

“We’re playing a team that’s ahead of us in the standings, so it won’t be too hard to forget about (Wednesday),” Galaxy forward Mike Magee said. “But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting.”

As the MLS playoff race starts to take shape, games like this are crucial for the Galaxy. The club is currently four points behind Colorado in the Western Conference and it is a home game, where the Galaxy are 6-0-5 in league competition, while Colorado is 2-3-5 on the road.

The concern facing the Galaxy will be breaking down the Colorado defense. The Rapids have allowed just 19 goals. The Galaxy have allowed the second fewest with 22.

It might have to do so without Robbie Keane. Keane was involved in a collision with New York goalkeeper Luis Robles in the first half of Sunday’s game. He came up bloodied and but eventually stayed in the game.

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena didn’t offer much of an update on Keane’s status, only to say he was hopeful that Keane would play tonight. Keane was on the training field Friday.

It was already going to be difficult to score with Keane. If he’s unavailable, then the situation really gets tough for the Galaxy. Keane, along with Giovani dos Santos, leads the team with seven goals this season.

Ten of the Rapids’ 22 games have ended either in scoreless draws or 1-0 and 14 of their games have ended with the Rapids scoring one goal or being shutout.

“One would expect a game that would be a 1-0 game,” Arena said, “since 90 percent of the games they play in are basically that score line. They work real hard as a group defensively, they haven’t scored a lot of goals, but they have capable players for sure.”

The first two meetings with the Galaxy are included in the mix. Colorado needed a 95th-minute goal to defeat the Galaxy 1-0 in their first meeting (Mar. 12). The teams met at StubHub Center, June 22 and ended in a scoreless draw.

“They work their butts off, they run a ton and they added a couple of players, Tim Howard and Jermaine Jones, since the last time we played them,” Magee said. “They’re a great team and it is going to be a great test.

“The way they’re playing is really effective. They have a group of guys that battles for each other and fight and they don’t mind defending, they don’t concede goals, which obviously makes it easier to win. They’re really hard to play against.”

COLORADO RAPIDS at GALAXY

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. at StubHub Center

TV/Radio: Time Warner Cable SportsNet; KTMZ.1220

Update: The Rapids (11-3-8, 41) are in second place in the Western Conference. This is the third meeting of the season between the teams. Colorado has a different look since the last meeting with U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard joined the club. Howard has started the last six games, posting a 2-1-3 record. Colorado also picked up midfielder Sebastien LeToux from Philadelphia before the close of the transfer window. The Galaxy will be without midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, who will be serving a one-game suspension for a foul against the New York Red Bulls last Sunday.