Burn and Rapids draw in season opener
Published on April 3, 2004 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
DALLAS -- A late Bobby Rhine penalty kick conversion salvaged a draw for the Dallas Burn in their return to the Cotton Bowl, as they played to a 1-1 result with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
John Spencer gave the Rapids a 38th-minute lead, but Rhine's goal with 14 minutes remaining provided the equalizer for the Burn in their return to their first home, the club playing last year at Dragon Stadium in nearby Southlake, Texas.
The Burn came out the aggressors in the first half and held the edge in shots, and thought they had taken the lead just moments prior to the Colorado goal. Midfielder Brad Davis collected a failed clearance attempt and unleashed a long range effort which Eddie Johnson turned to avoid as he screened Rapids 'keeper Joe Cannon. But the celebration was cut short when Johnson was adjudged to have been offside on the play.
Colorado then took the lead through Spencer after midfielder Mark Chung, advancing down the left flank sent the ball across the penalty area for Jean-Philippe Peguero. Peguero nodded the ball down into the path of an overlapping Spencer, who lashed a low shot on net.
Burn goalkeeper Scott Garlick, facing his former club for the first time, dove to cover the attempt but could not stop the ball from trickling over the goal line.
But the home side did draw even in the 76th minute, when another Dallas corner resulted in a penalty kick. Brad Davis swung the ball in from the left corner, trying to pick out Johnson inside the box. The cross hit the trailing arm of a backtracking Darryl Powell, who was whistled for handling the ball inside the penalty area. Burn forward Bobby Rhine stepped up to the penalty spot, easily converting with a low shot to the right corner of the net.
Both 'keepers were called upon to make key saves throughout the game, their play at opposite ends an intriguing subplot to the season opener. They were part of a much-publicized goalkeeper controversy at the end of the 2003 season, when Cannon returned to MLS, signed by the Rapids after a stint with French club RC Lens. Cannon displaced Garlick as the starting `keeper in the MLS Cup Playoffs, leading to Garlick's departure from the Mile High club.
With the draw, Colorado remains winless in season openers, amassing a 0-7-2 record all-time. The Rapids stage their home opener on Saturday, April 17th against the Los Angeles Galaxy at INVESCO Field at Mile High, while Dallas also have next week off before they travel to the newly renovated Soldier Field to face the Chicago Fire.
Major League Soccer Stories from April 3, 2004
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