MLS Colorado Rapids

Colorado Rapids overwhelm DC United 6-2 in 2005 Hall of Fame Game

Published on August 29, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


ONEONTA, NY (8/29/05) - Six unanswered goals from five different Rapids players were enough for the Colorado Rapids to sink DC United 6-2 in the 2005 Hall of Fame Game earlier today in Oneonta, N.Y., as part of the celebrations of Marcelo Balboa, Fernando Clavijo, John Harkes and Tab Ramos being inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame.

This match, itself a preview of this coming Saturday's DC vs. Rapids tilt in Denver at Invesco Field, featured both Balboa and Clavijo starting the match for the Rapids, and they in turn lined up against Harkes, who suited up for DC.

The first scoring chance went to DC United in the second minute, when Rapids 'keeper Byron Foss was forced to stop a point-blank shot that was crossed by inductee Harkes.

Shawn Kuykendall put United on the board in the third minute when his low shot beat Foss for the first goal of the afternoon.

Kyle Beckerman nearly equalized for the Rapids in the ninth minute when he juked a United defender in the 18-yard box but his shot curled just wide of the goal.

Some nice passing and hard work in the 18th minute won the Rapids two corner kicks, which produced a couple of dangerous chances.

Throughout out the next seven minutes the Black and Blue, and winger Terry Cooke in particular, continued to serve balls into the box but none found the back of the net.

In the 27th and 28th minutes the combined efforts of Foss and the Colorado crossbar kept the scoreline at 1-0 as United had some back-to-back chances.

Matt Nickell scored the second and final goal of the match for DC in the 30th minute. His low shot beat Foss and went in off the far post.

Luchi Gonzalez earned a penalty kick in the 37th minute when fouled as he was attempting a diving header. Balboa stepped up to take the PK but instead of shooting the ball, tapped the ball forward and an onrushing Clavijo finished the play by burying it into the back of the net in front of a befuddled DC United on an unusual but perfectly legal play.

In the 41st minute Foss was forced to completely stretch out all the way to his left and his long wingspan was able to steer a hard shot away from his goal.

David "Dedi" Ben-Dayan almost equalized for the Rapids in the 45th minute as he trapped a ball at the top of the penalty area and his volley sailed just over the crossbar.

Ben-Dayan, however, did find the back of the net just a minute later in first half stoppage time. The Israeli shook free of his mark and headed a Terry Cooke cross under the outstretched hands of DC goalie Jeff Perkins to knot the score at 2-2 just before the halftime whistle.

At the start of the second half, both Clavijo and Balboa left the field to resounding applause as they were replaced by Dan Gargan and Stephen Keel, respectively, in the first of a series of substitutions.

Fabrice Noel, who had entered the game for Jean Philippe Peguero, won his second PK in as many matches in the 47th minute of the second half. Gonzalez stepped up and pounded the ball into the back of the net in a penalty that looked more conventional than the Balboa-Clavijo effort in the first half.

In the 53rd minute the Rapids were still hungry for more goals. Cooke beat two defenders just inside the penalty area but the Englishman's shot was stopped by the 'keeper.

A couple of minutes later the fourth goal did come to the Rapids as Ricky Lewis scored on a worm burner from outside the 18-yard box that tucked itself inside Perkins' right post.

Colorado native Stephen Keel scored the fifth Rapids goal of the match when he snatched up the return pass of a give-and-go at the penalty spot and gave the DC goalkeeper no chance to stop the ball as he scored his first goal in a Rapids uniform.

The Israeli-born Ben-Dayan recorded his second goal of the match and the sixth unanswered goal for the Rapids in the 69th minute. After juking a DC defender to the ground with amazing footwork he shot the ball out of the 'keeper's reach and into the back of United's net.

Substitute Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul made several acrobatic saves in the second half, including a great save on a DC rocket in the 72nd minute, snatching it with a great reflex save just before it went into his goal.

These two teams will meet again in just five days as DC United visit the Mile High City to take on the Rapids in the first MLS regular-season meeting between the two squads of 2005 at 7 p.m. this Saturday, September 3rd at Invesco Field.

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 29, 2005


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