Niko nixes point as United fall to Rapids
Christian Gomez had given United a 49th-minute lead, but Jovan Kirovski converted his own penalty five minutes later to pull Colorado level, then Nicolas Hernandez scored the match-winner six minutes from the end when he knocked home a Terry Cooke cross.
United head coach Peter Nowak put out his team in a system that saw Jamil Walker playing mainly as a lone striker, with Jaime Moreno playing in behind and Alecko Eskandarian joining as a third forward while moving up from the midfield wide on the left.
D.C. tested Rapids 'keeper Joe Cannon on two occasions in the early going. Eskandarian was fouled just outside the area in the 17th minute and Gomez stepped up to take the free kick and forced Cannon into a great save deflecting the ball against the crossbar. The rebound was cleared by the Rapids defense and a great opportunity went wasted.
Cooke gave United's defense some problems flying down the right flank, especially causing problems for Brandon Prideaux and Bobby Boswell. Cooke almost earned a penalty when he was taken down by Prideaux in the 14th minute, but referee Brian Hall would hear nothing of it.
United's best opportunity of the half came near the end of the first half. Facundo Erpen sent the ball in from a free kick from 40 yards out where Walker, after a goal-mouth scramble, volleyed a fine shot and forced Cannon to his right for a fine save. But all would not be well for Walker. Minutes before the first half whistle blew, Walker pulled up lame with an apparent hamstring injury. Freddy Adu came on in Walker's place.
United opened the second half in a fury and took the lead in the 49th minute. Gomez started the move in midfield, knocking the ball to Eskandarian, who found Gros overlapping to his right. Gros swung in a low cross where Gomez came sliding in just in front of Cannon, deflecting the ball goalward where it just rolled over the line ahead of rapidly retreating Rapids. It was Gomez's third goal of the season.
But the lead did not last for long as Kirovski gained a penalty five minutes later. Kirovski was driving down the right side where Erpen fouled him in the area. Even though he suffered the foul, Kirovski took the penalty and drove it past United 'keeper Troy Perkins inside his left-hand post to level the match.
As the match wore on, United's attack became a pale comparison to what it showed earlier. The Black-and-Red sent long ball after long ball into the Rapids defensive third, but it was more desperation than quality buildup.
The United defense was left flatfooted in the 84th minute when Hernandez put Colorado into the lead. Cooke came running down the right and sent in a cross from 40 yards out which fell behind Erpen, letting Hernandez slip past the United defense.
Perkins was left on his own and Hernandez dribbled to the 'keeper's right and rifled a shot from a tight angle, hitting the back of the net to give the Rapids a 2-1 lead. The goal was Hernandez's first in MLS and came from Cooke's fourth assist of the season.
Tom Buck is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
