MLS Colorado Rapids

Season Ends with 2-0 Loss in KC

Published on November 10, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


KANSAS CITY, MO (Sat. Nov. 8) - The Colorado Rapids dropped a 2-0 decision to the Kansas City Wizards tonight at Arrowhead Stadium and were officially eliminated from the 2003 MLS Playoffs.

Igor Simutenkov and Chris Klein scored for the Wizards, securing a 3-1 aggregate goal advantage and booking passage to the next round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Rapids Goalie Joe Cannon was forced to make several difficult saves in the first half, including a 26th minute reaction save on the Wizards' Eric Quill. Klein set up the play, cutting the ball in sharply from the right flank and sending a cross into the center of the box. Quill's diving header caught Cannon moving sideways, but the keeper -making his second start in the 2003 MLS Cup Playoffs after appearing in only 45 minutes for the Rapids in the regular season - cleared the shot away with his trailing leg.

In the 41st minute, a Kansas City free kick presented a wealth of opportunities for the Wizards. Playing the ball laterally instead of sending the shot on goal, Kansas City was able to get a pair of shots, only to be met with deflections from the Rapids' defenders. The ball came out to Igor Simutenkov at the far post, who forced a clutch save from Cannon at point-blank range. The rebound fell to Talley, who sent another shot on goal; but Colorado's Kyle Beckerman slid into the play, preventing the attempt from crossing the goal line in its entirety.

Simutenkov finally opened the scoring in the second minute of stoppage time in the first half, with a scissor kick goal to put the home side up 1-0. Preki and midfielder Chris Klein started the play on the near side of the penalty area, as Preki laid off a short pass for Klein in tight space. Klein switched the point of attack with a hard cross, picking out an open Simutenkov on the flank. Simutenkov set up the shot attempt, sending a hard, bouncing through the penalty area and past the fingers of a diving Joe Cannon.

Klein doubled the Wizards' lead in the 63rd minute, touching Simutenkov pass around a charging Rapids defender. With the touch, Klein opened up a wide shooting lane to the far post. Klein laced a low, hard shot along the turf and past a diving Cannon to tack on an insurance goal for the Wizards.

The Rapids maintained possession and dictated the flow of play for much of the first half, but their best chance of the stanza came in the 34th minute when Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad misplayed a clearance attempt, sending the ball back towards his own net. Goalkeeper Tony Meola rushed back to make the save however, diving low to the post to push the ball over the end line to concede the corner.

The Rapids had an apparent equalizer waived in the 49th minute of play, as Wes Hart was whistled for a dubious foul on Diego Gutierrez at the near post. Gutierrez was attempting to defuse a potentially explosive situation as the Wizards were outnumbered in their own penalty area, carrying the ball across the goalmouths when Hart slid in to dislodge the ball. Forward John Spencer pounced on the loose ball, hammering a shot into the open net, but the tally was immediately waved off by the officials, having adjudged Hart's challenge to be illegal.

In the 72nd minute of play, forward Chris Carrieri forced a spectacular save from Meola. Carrieri, coming off the bench to bolster the Colorado attack, snapped a header on net, but the veteran goalkeeper dove to touch the ball away. Meola's save rang off the underside of the crossbar, ricocheting back into play where the Wizards defense cleaned up.

Carrieri came close again in the third minute of stoppage time, hitting the post on another counterattack attempt. The rebound came back towards the net, forcing Meola to make another save on the line.

Despite the numerous Colorado supporters that had traveled to Kansas City to brave the near-freezing weather and enthusiastically give the Rapids a boost by out-cheering the home crowd, Colorado was unable to make up the goal defecit and found their chances of advancing to the Western Conference Championship dashed as the final whistle blew.

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 10, 2003


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