Colorado's streak ends with 1-0 loss to DC
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- The word parity is often thrown around the MLS; how any team on any given day can beat any other team. So it proved Saturday night.
The league's bottom team, D.C. United, came to Colorado, a place where they hadn’t won in more than a decade, and proceeded to take three points off a Rapids side that had won their last five games at home, outscoring opponents 14 to one. The loss snaps the Rapids home undefeated streak at 10 games.
A Danny Allsopp goal right at the end of the first half was enough to secure a rare victory for DC.
Watch: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Rapids head coach Gary Smith surprised with his starting line-up, resting Omar Cummings as well as regular starters Marvell Wynne, Jamie Smith, and Anthony Wallace.
The home side's first half performance was flat and also failed to create many chances. Central defender Drew Moor came closest with a shot that was cleared off the line in the eigth minute by DC's Kurt Morsnik.
DC created more chances than Colorado in the first half, but were constantly thwarted by goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Near the end of the 23rd minute, United's Santino Quaranta sent a ball into the box that teammate Pablo Hernandez was able to get on the end. After the ball took a high bounce, Hernandez tried to chip Pickens, but the 'keeper backtracked well and tipped the ball over the crossbar.
Near the end of the half, Allsopp took advantage of some poor passing from Colorado to intercept the ball and go one-on-one against Pickens, who waited for the perfect moment to poke the ball away from the DC forward's feet.
But Allsopp would not be denied. Forty-five seconds into injury time, DC winger Andy Najar made a run down the right flank and sent in a low shot that Pickens was unable to trap. Allsopp, standing nearby, buried the ball to give United the lead.
The Rapids came out determined to at least equalize in the second half and, just two minutes back from the break, Pablo Mastroeni sent a header straight onto DC 'keeper Troy Perkins. For the rest of the half, however, Colorado were unable to create all that many chances.
In the 52nd minute, Conor Casey went close in the from a Kosuke Kimura cross and Omar Cummings, a second half substitute, just failed to get a touch on the ball to guide it in for a would be equalizer in the 84th minute.
Two minutes later, Moor missed the best chance of the night from a corner as the ball found its way to his feet, but the defender screwed it just wide.
The loss is a very disappointing result for the Rapids, who how have to regroup for two tough away games over the next two weekends at Dallas and then at Los Angeles.
For Colorado, it comes as a relief that Kansas lost to New York and San Jose only managed a draw against Columbus, as they remain in seventh place and are very much in contention for a playoff spot.
Scoring Summary:
DC -- Danny Allsopp 5 (Andy Najar 2) 47+
Misconduct Summary:
COL -- Scott Palguta (caution; Tactical Foul) 15
DC -- Devon McTavish (caution; Tactical Foul) 74
DC -- Andy Najar (caution; Delaying a Restart) 85
Lineups:
D.C. United -- Troy Perkins, Jordan Graye, Devon McTavish, Dejan Jakovic, Jed Zayner, Andy Najar, Kurt Morsink, Branko Boskovic, Santino Quaranta, Danny Allsopp (Carlos Varela 60), Pablo Hernandez (Junior Carreiro 89).
Colorado Rapids -- Matt Pickens, Kosuke Kimura, Scott Palguta, Drew Moor, Danny Earls, Brian Mullan (Jamie Smith 60), Pablo Mastroeni, Jeff Larentowicz, Wells Thompson (Claudio Lopez 71), Macoumba Kandji (Omar Cummings 60), Conor Casey.
Subs not used: Ian Joyce, Quincy Amarikwa, Anthony Wallace, Marvell Wynne.
Referee: Michael Kennedy
Referee's Assistants: Chris Strickland; Paul Scott; 4th Official: Terry Vaughn
Attendance: 15,478
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 70 degrees