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Colorado Rapids

Rapids See Victory Denied Late

September 28, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


Atiba Harris drove a stake into the heart of the Colorado Rapids' fast-fading MLS Cup playoff hopes with a goal at the death to give the San Jose Earthquakes a 1-1 draw on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The Rapids were well on their way to their first win in 10 games after an 84th-minute goal by Gabriel Torres, a result that would have moved them into striking distance of the fifth and final postseason slot in the Western Conference with four games remaining. As it is, the seventh-place Rapids trail fifth-place Vancouver Whitecaps by eight points.

The share of points doesn't do San Jose much good, either. They aren't mathematically eliminated, but they remain in eighth place, 11 points behind the Whitecaps, with a winless streak now at 10 games.

Chances were few and far between from the very start. Rapids goalkeeper Joe Nasco made a fine reaching save to send a Chris Wondolowski volley over the bar in the seventh minute.

He made another save in unique fashion in the 12th minute, coming off his line and spinning around to slap away a sure goal for Matias Perez Garcia.

Colorado's best chance at a first-half goal came in the sixth minute when Jose Mari sent a shot from distance just over the bar.

The Rapids gained better footing in the second half, pushing forward through Deshorn Brown and Jose Mari. Brown just missed with a running right-footed shot from the edge of the area on the hour. And Jose Mari rolled a shot just wide after a deep run and cross by Brown.

Colorado thought they had found the winner in the 77th minute, but Brown was offside on a goal-scoring run from a Vicente Sanchez feed. But Colorado gave the home crowd something to cheer for less than 10 minutes later when Chris Klute found Torres with a perfect cross. The Panamanian international did the rest with a first-time shot past Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch.

But San Jose wasn't dead yet, and they found the Harris equalizer through a brilliant feed from newly signed Designated Player Perez Garcia, who returned to the starting XI after missing six games with an injury.

Colorado remain at home for a Sunday (October 5) matchup against the conference-leading Seattle Sounders FC.

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