Orlando Hold off the Rapids to Earn a Point by Chris Brown
August 20, 2016 – Colorado Rapids welcomed Orlando City SC into Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night for a clash between two teams at very different ends of the Supporter’s Shield standings.
Colorado currently sit in second place in the Western Conference as well as Supporter’s Shield standings on 42 points, just three points behind FC Dallas in first place, while Orlando sit in 7th place in the Eastern Conference on 27 points.
Kevin Doyle had several chances on the night but couldn’t find the back of the net. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Pablo Mastroeni is still without Jermaine Jones for the Rapids as Jones recovers from a quad inury while Jason Kreis continues to deal with a depleted midfield.
Sebastien Le Toux was given his first start for the Rapids. Le Toux was signed from Philadelphia Union on August 3rd and had previously only featured as a substitute.
The first opportunity of the match went Colorado’s way in the 10th minute. Eric Miller won the ball in an advanced position and passed ahead to Kevin Doyle. Doyle switched field to a wide open Marc Burch who sent a cross in. Doyle was there to nod the cross home, but the ball was a fraction too high and Doyle couldn’t make proper contact with the header.
The first 20 minutes of the match were sloppy and both teams seemed sluggish in their movement. Things finally began to settle down after that and Colorado looked the more threatening side keeping possession deep in Orlando’s half.
The Rapids forced several corner kicks but were unable to put a person on the end of one.
Orlando seemed happy to counter an let Colorado command the game, but the Rapids ended up passing the ball back and forth across the back line too often. No one in a burgundy jersey seemed to be moving, looking for passing lanes and the midfield became separated from the defense, pressed up with the attack.
In the 38th minute a mistimed tackle from Axel Sjoberg let Brek Shea in one on one with Howard. Shea tried to curl an effort past Howard but ended up firing straight into Howard’s waiting arms.
Minutes later Sebastien Le Toux sent in a cross from the right wing and found Kevin Doyle. Doyle, usually clinical with his head in front of goal missed just wide left of Bendik’s goal. The striker should have done better his body language after the shot said as much.
The match went to half time scoreless.
Colorado came out a lot sharper in the second half and the tempo of passing was much quicker from the Rapids.
In the 52nd minute Dillon Powers won the ball back in the center of the park and found Marlon Hairston at the top of the box. Hairston drew two defenders in before playing the ball wide to the onrushing form of Shkelzen Gashi. Gashi drove in behind the Orlando Defense and shot across goal, just missing wide.
Seconds later another Hairston layoff found Gashi again, and the Albanian Internationals shot was deflected as it ran towards goal, forcing Bendik into a diving save.
Shkelzen Gashi was frustrated on the evening, seeing a number of good shots blocked or saved. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Colorado was dialing up the pressure and Orlando appeared tired, chasing shadows as the Rapids passed around them.
In the 56th minute a deflected Gashi cross struck the Orlando post as Colorado looked certain to take lead.
Again in the 61st minute, Kevin Doyle blazed a shot on goal but missed just inches wide.
In the 65th minute Kevin Doyle was set free down the left wing and drove towards the Orlando goal. Just feet before Doyle reached the 18 yard box he was harshly tackled by David Mateos. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park erupted in outrage and the referee was immediately circled by Rapids players asking for a red card. The referee showed a yellow and it was the right decision. The foul was a professional foul and Mateos wasn’t the last man, though Doyle certainly felt the tackle for a while afterward.
During the Rapids protests and pleas for a red card Rapids defender Eric Miller was booked as well, most likely for those protests.
In the 78th minute Cyle Larin had a chance for Orlando. Kaka set him free down the middle of the pitch but Larin was forced to shoot left footed and missed high over Tim Howard’s crossbar.
Colorado kept creating half chances as the clocked ticked closer and closer to full time, but the breakthrough wouldn’t come. Orlando were defending for all their worth, knowing a point on the road was a good result against a tough Rapids team.
Five minutes of stoppage time were added to the end of the match but it would have no impact on the outcome. The match ended in a goalless draw.
Colorado were the better side on the evening but couldn’t find the break through. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
There was a lot of excellent attacking play, especially in the second half of the match and as far as goalless draws go, this was an entertaining one.
Orlando will be happy to leave Denver with a point while Colorado will lament the wasted opportunities that could have put Orlando away.
Up next for Orlando is a home game against Sebastian Giovinco and Toronto FC on Wednesday night.
For the Rapids, they travel to Real Salt Lake for another chapter of the Rocky Mountain Derby on Friday night.
