Devin L. Wilber
MLS: Colorado Rapids vs. FC Dallas
MLS Powers Clash at Mile High
BY DEVIN LAWRENCE WILBER
July 23rd, 2016
COMMERCE CITY, CO - There was electricity in the air Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, as MLS rivals FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids clashed in an epic #1 vs #2 battle at the top of the table. To the dismay of the fans and players, the match was delayed 45 minutes due to lightning over the sold out stadium.
The two squads battled to a 1-1 draw after Dallas netted a late equalizer in the 82 minute, shocking the Rapids faithful. A disappointing result for the home squad, the Rapids still hold control of their own fate, only trailing by three points in the Major League Soccer standings headed into All Star Week.
"For the most part it was a good match," said Rapids Captain Sam Cronin. "But when you play teams that are that quick on the counter, it only takes one chance and the game can turn on it's head. That's what happened tonight."
The league standings remain relatively unchanged following Saturday's result. FC Dallas (12-6-5) remains atop the MLS table with 41 points and the Rapids (10-2-8) sit in second, with 38 points and three less games played. With the draw Colorado extended it's unbeaten streak to 15 straight games and remains unbeaten at home this season.
"It was a really interesting game. I feel like the first half we really attacked it the right way, got a lot of pressure on them, and dictated where we wanted the match to be played." said Colorado Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni. "I think the second half was the tricky thing. They started taking some more risks with their players, leaving them in advanced positions when we had the ball. That's a hard way to play but they executed it well and did a great job countering. That's their game."
The MLS Match of the Week pitted the best offense in Dallas and best defense in Colorado against each other. Colorado dominated time of possession as usual, controlling the ball 60% of the match, with 81.6% passing accuracy on 553 passes. The Rapids produced multiple chances in the first half on corners and set pieces but were unable to find the back of the net, leaving the door open for FC Dallas coming off of the counter.
In the 44th minute Colorado burst through to score the first goal of the match, in the form of a Marlon Hairston goal. After spectacularly dispossessing FC Dallas defender Atiba Harris, the Rapids' forward cut in towards the box to beat Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz for his second goal of the season, on a finesse shot from 15 feet out.
Hairston, usually a substitute coming off the bench, joined the Rapids' starting XI following his first goal of the season just a week ago against Sporting KC in a narrow 1-0 Colorado win.
With a very limited amount of chances the first half, Dallas very nearly capitalized on a near scoring opportunity in stoppage time before the break. The half time whistle moments away, Dallas defender Walker Zimmerman's header from the center of the box was deflected by Colorado's Tim Howard. The save was just 1 of 5 spectacular saves by the star goalkeeper, in only his fourth match for the Rapids.
"Possession can be a very slanted stat to use in soccer." said Pablo, "Tonight we had a lot of the ball, but sometimes that is just as dangerous as not having the ball at all. We were the most susceptible when we had possession, and that's where their goal came from."
It was apparent after the break that FC Dallas was desperately playing for a goal, trying to find an equalizer. Playing closely off Colorado's backline Dallas found their opportunities, dominating the second half driving down the middle of the pitch, taking nine shots.
With time dwindling, eight minutes from full time, Victor Ulloa sent an absolute screamer into the top right corner of the net to help ensure FC Dallas would at the very least stay atop the MLS table.
A substitute in the 80th minute, Ulloa made an impact moments after stepping on the pitch. The Dallas midfielder grounded an attempted clearance by Colorado's Dillion Powers, and ripped a shot past the outstretched arms of Rapids' goalkeeper Tim Howard, for his first goal of the season.
The outstanding play by Tim Howard promised Colorado would escape the match with a point. As Dallas continued to attack with full time approaching, the Rapids goalkeeper would be called upon again and again to keep the score level at one a piece.
"Tim was world class tonight. He came up three or four times, where it was like, man that was a save and one we really needed." said Pablo, "But again if he has to come up like that, we aren't doing a good job in front of him, and tonight wasn't our best defensive performance. And so you have to make those saves, and tonight he was tremendous."
Following the 1-1 draw vs Dallas, Colorado heads to Yankees Stadium to take on New York FC after the MLS All Star Game vs Arsenal Thursday night in San Jose.
