Colorado Beats SKC for the Third Time in 2016 by Chris Brown
July 16, 2016 – Colorado Rapids hosted Sporting KC Saturday night in a match between second place and fifth place in the Western Conference.
The two sides have already met twice this season with the Rapids winning the first meeting in Kansas City 2-1 and then winning the second match in Colorado 1-0.
Second Half Sub Marlon Hairston curls the ball into the Kansas City goal (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Colorado is unbeaten in 13 straight games, a team record, but have settled for draws in their last three outings. During that time Colorado has lost the lead in both the Western Conference and Supporter’s Shield standings to FC Dallas and has seen the rest of the Western Conference, including Sporting KC, close the gap at the top of the table.
The lasts two times these teams met Rapids midfielder Dillon Serna was the catalyst for Colorado, setting up the Shkelzen Gashi goal that defeated KC in KC and then scoring the only goal when Sporting fell to the Rapids 1-0 on May 11th. Serna is out of this match and is out the rest of the season after tearing his ACL a few weeks ago.
Colorado was without Jermaine Jones for the second week in a row as the midfielder is out with a lower leg injury.
Sporting KC played without Graham Zusi who is still recovering from a hamstring strain.
Sporting started the game with better possession and played better defense early on. They pressed intelligently with two or three players anytime Colorado took possession and won the ball back quickly in midfield.
In the 18th minute Colorado won a free kick in the attacking half and Shkelzen Gashi sent in a shot from the free kick that was just a foot or two too high to bother Tim Melia, but the attempt was the best chance of the opening 20 minutes.
In the 31th minute, following a Jared Watts giveaway, KC cut the Rapids open with some deft passing that culminated in a Brad Davis shot being deflected into the side netting of Tim Howard’s goal.
Brad Davis had the best chance of the first half for Sporting KC but couldn’t get past Tim Howard. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
KC seemed to have learned from their two losses earlier this season and in many ways out Coloradoed Colorado in the first half. KC stayed narrow in defense, pressed quickly in midfield and were happy to look for the counter instead of giving up numbers in attack.
At halftime the score remained the way it started with neither team having a great chance from open play. Both teams would have to up the tempo in the second half if they wanted a breakthrough.
In the 54th minute Colorado had a fantastic chance to break the deadlock. Tim Howard collected the ball after a Sporting KC attack finished lamely and spotted Kevin Doyle matched up one on one just past the halfway line. Howard launched the ball forward and Doyle was able to collect the effort just outside the 18 yard box. Doyle was well defended but had two players rushing up to support the attack completely unmarked. Doyle played the ball to the first of those players in the form of Dillon Powers. Powers was quickly closed down and although he had support from Shkelzen Gashi making a run on the wing, chose to shoot on goal, missing high and failing to trouble Tim Melia.
In the 62nd minute Pablo Mastroeni made his first change to the Rapid line up by bringing on Marlon Hairston for Marco Pappa. Pappa was unable to influence the match in the way he’s used to and Hairston always brings pace and a decent cross when he steps onto the field. With the match in a rut it was a great time to make a substitution.
Hairston’s impact was immediate as he had Colorado’s best chance of the match just a minute after he came one. After being set free Hairston found himself one on one with Sporting KC keeper Melia. Hairston tried to lift his shot over the frame of Melia who came charging and sliding off his goal line, but was unable to as Melia gratefully blocked the attempt.
After Hairston’s attempt the match opened up considerably. Both teams seemed to be waiting for late in the match to finally unleash the attacking players and quite suddenly chances came fast for both teams. The crowd, which had been vocally absent for most of the match, was reinvigorated and seemed to fuel Colorado on.
Sporting KC had the loudest and most numerous away support at a Rapids home game this season. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
In the 78th minute the 18,000+ people in attendance had reason to cheer when Marlon Hairston received a pass from Dillon Powers just outside the 18 yard box. Sporting KC’s defenders dropped off allowing Hairston to cut in on his right foot. The Jamaican had plenty of time to calibrate and fired a curling effort at Tim Melia’s goal. Melia dove well but the curling shot was placed too well found the side netting of the Sporting goal to put Colorado up one goal to zero.
Colorado held on well for the final twelve minute plus five minutes of stoppage time and Sporting KC never really bothered Tim Howard’s goal.
The match finished one goal to zero in favor of the Rapids and Colorado found a way to end their three match winless skid by beating Sporting KC for the third time in the 2016 MLS regular season.
