When the story is finally written about the 2015 D.C. United season many things will be said. Early match miscues, late game heroics, and the term white knuckle are all themes that will be visited quite a bit. But perhaps the biggest theme that will be harped upon is how important goalkeeper Bill Hamid was to the club’s success. On Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Hamid kept United alive long enough against a dangerous Colorado Rapids attack for the attack to wake up and earn the 1-1 draw.

Colorado Rapids midfielder Sam Cronin celebrates with defender Bobby Burling after Burling scores his second goal of the season (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)

The Rapids took the early lead thanks to a goal in the 28th minute from center-back Bobby Burling. United would level the score at one with a header by center-back Steve Birnbaum in the 87th minute. The draw was United’s first point against the Rapids in Colorado since their 1-0 victory.

Having made up 9 points in their previous four matches, the Rapids appeared to be primed to make it 12 points early on. In the first half, the Rapids attack peeled away at a United defense that struggled to find their footing. In the 28th minute the Rapids capitalized on a poor clearance by United forward Alvaro Saborio after a free kick taken by Rapids midfielder Vincente Sanchez.

Sanchez’s effort was initially headed away from danger by United left-back Taylor Kemp but Saborio was unable to fully end the threat. Rapids midfielder Sam Cronin retrieved the ball made a pass into defender Maynor Figueroa who set up  Burling. Burling’s low shot went between two United defenders. United goalkeeper made the late effort but was unable to keep out Burling’s second goal of the season.

Despite having the lead against a United side that was struggling to find the back of the net, the Rapids continued to press. Led by midfielder Dillon Serna, the Rapids attack kept United in their defensive half by stretching out their compact back four. Serna nearly put the Rapids up by two with his pinpoint precision cross in the 32nd minute. Credit to United center-back Bobby Boswell for for tracking a surging Kevin Doyle and boxing him out long enough to make the clear.

The second half appeared to be more of the same early on with the Rapids dominating possession and United forced to defend to the last man. Figueroa threatened United again in the 47th minute with a low dagger on target. Hamid made the sprawling save to keep the score at 1-0.

Serna had another cross in the 52nd minute that once again nearly found Doyle. The Republic of Ireland international attempted the bicycle kick but was unsuccessful in making contact with the ball. Sanchez would try to tap the ball into the back of the net past an unsuspecting Hamid but would ultimately be stopped by the United net-minder.

Hamid would come up big once again for United in the 78th minute punching away a left-footed shot from Doyle in the 78th minute. Doyle’s run, coupled with a header from substitute Dominique Badji, caught the United defense off-guard but was not enough to extend the Rapids lead to 2-0.

Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin making the sprawling stop in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with D.C. United (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)

After having sustained pressure from the Rapids for three quarters of the match, the United attack turned it on late. An excellent set of one touch passing in the 78th minute  led by United midfielder Perry Kitchen forced the Rapids defense to scramble on the counter-attack. United forward Fabian Espindola broke through the Rapids defense and found himself in a one on one situation with Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin. Irwin would make the save on a high shot from Espindola to end the threat.

United would continue to press late with left-back Taylor Kemp providing service into the box for substitute Chris Pontius. Kemp’s cross was about a foot ahead of Pontius and thus gave Irwin the chance to make the save.

But D.C. would not be denied and it would be Espindola that would provide the late spark. In the 87th minute, Espindola would sneak behind the Rapids defense on a free kick and deliver a high curling cross into the Rapids box. Birnbaum leaped over the Rapids defender and delivered a high header that Irwin got a tip on but could not keep from going into the back of the net. The goal was Birnbaum’s second of the season.

The Rapids nearly regained the lead in injury time when Burling’s cross found Lucas Pittnari all alone in the D.C. penalty box. The Argentine center-midfielder was unable to hit a shot but Sanchez was, delivering a cracking chance on target. But the Rapids were denied the game-winner thanks to a brilliant diving save by Hamid. Denying Sanchez would provide Hamid with his fifth and final save on the evening and a valuable point for D.C. United.

With the draw United (13-10-6) stay level with the New York Red Bulls on points with 45 points, but remain in second due to New York’s superior goal differential (plus 16 to plus 1). D.C. will look to re-take the top spot in the Eastern Conference on Saturday when they host the Columbus Crew.

For the Rapids (8-10-10, 34points) the draw keeps them at the bottom of the Western Conference. They will continue their late playoff push when they travel to Canada on Saturday to take on Toronto F.C.