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MLS Colorado Rapids

Colorado Advances to Next Round to Face Dallas

July 18, 2002 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


CHARLESTON, SC (Wednesday, July 17, 2002) - A dramatic overtime goal by John Spencer helped the Rapids overcome a tenacious Charleston Battery team in third round U.S. Open Cup action at Blackbaud Stadium on Wednesday night.

The 1-0 win snapped a three-game Open Cup losing streak for the Rapids, who move on to play the Dallas Burn in the quarterfinals of the nation's oldest soccer tournament on August 7.

Charleston had a slight advantage in run of play in the opening minutes, until the 16th minute, when the Rapids worked back-to-back plays from the left flank that nearly resulted in a goal. Wes Hart was key in both attacking plays, first winning a ball and feeding Chris Henderson for a shot that flashed wide, then forcing a save from a diving header after Zach Kingsley played a dangerous ball into the penalty area.

Utilizing a new look with several lineup changes for the club's opening match of the U.S. Open Cup, the Rapids had little luck breaking through the tough and organized Battery defense in the opening half hour. Despite the quick and agile passing of recently-named MLS All-Star starters Mark Chung and Carlos Valderrama, forward John Spencer was denied a clean shot at the net in the first half.

The Battery nearly broke through in the 31st minute through former Colorado draft selection Ryan Trout, who stole the ball near midfield and dribbled past Pablo Mastroeni and Steven Herdsman. Trout got as far as the six-yard box before the defense closed in, where Rick Titus and Scott Garlick converged to kill off the chance.

Trout was dangerous again as the first half came to a close, firing high with an acrobatic side-volley in the 42nd minute. Just a minute later John Wilson set up Paul Conway for a quick shot that skipped just wide.

The first half came to a close without a goal as the Rapids seemed content to hold the ball in the defensive half and get off the steaming hot field and into the locker room to regroup. Through the first half the Rapids managed only two shots on goal, with only Hart's diving effort coming close to beating goalkeeper Dusty Hudock.

The second half began as the first half ended for the Rapids, without much penetration into the Battery penalty area. Spencer took control of the ball at the top of the 18-yard in the 52nd minute after Titus made a long run and delivered a pass, but the captain was unable to unload a shot before the defense collapsed around him.

The Rapids dodged a bullet in the 68th minute when the Battery squandered a rare open look at the goal. Mark Watson's long throw in was flicked on to the foot of a wide-open Morgan Zeba, who entered the game as a sub in the second half. Despite having time to settle the ball, the Swedish midfielder fired well wide of the goal from the top of the penalty area.

Colorado saw their best chance of the game fall just short in the 70th minute. Kingsley, impressive in his first start for the Rapids, outpaced the defense on the right flank, turned on the defender, and fired a hard, low shot towards the far post. The shot skipped just wide of the net, but not before a charging Henderson nearly made contact with an athletic sliding effort.

A series of substitutions by the Rapids seemed to energize the club in the final minutes of regulation, as the club showed some of its most determined efforts of the night nearly pay off with a goal. Spencer came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 88th minute after a long outlet pass led him to the top of the penalty area, where he lashed a wicked shot that bounced off the chest of Hudock before being knocked out of play to give Colorado its first corner kick of the match.

Charleston had its best chance of the game in the dying seconds of injury time in the second half, but Paul Conway was unlucky to see his shot miss the target. Trout did well to win and control a ball on the endline for the Battery before sending a perfect cross to the far post, but Conway's header skimmed off the crossbar and over the net as the referee whistled the half to a close.

The Rapids jumped out to a bright start in the first overtime period and almost ended the sudden-death stanza in the 92nd minute through Chris Carrieri, who produced a sudden challenge on Hudock after Hart fed him with a long pass. Carrieri burst in on goal with the ball, but Hudock was quick to the ball and smothered the chance.

After controlling the ball for most of the overtime period, the Rapids finally got the game-winning goal from Spencer in the 98th minute. Following a corner kick that landed at the feet of Chris Carrieri, Spencer took possession of the ball slotted a calm shot from the edge of the penalty area that bounced under the goalkeeper and inside the right post.

The Rapids return to MLS action on Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio, where they will meet the Crew for the first time in over a year. That match, which kicks off at 5:30 p.m. MT, can be seen on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain at 8:00 p.m. MT.

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