but could not convert anything into strikes at goal. From extended pressure in the 23rd minute, Kyle Beckerman hooked in a cross, but Jovan Kirovski sent a weak header wide.
Cooke ran down an errant Beckerman cross beyond the left post and drove a low ball into the goalmouth in the 27th minute, but it sailed through the other side without anyone getting a foot on it. Kirovski banged one toward goal from all of 35 yards in the 37th minute, but it sailed wide. Nikolas Hernandez got onto the end of a Dan Gargan cross two minutes later, but headed over the bar.
Then Cooke sent in another early cross, this time from the right, with three Rapids attackers charging toward goal in the 41st minute. But it bounded through and out of play on the other side with no Colorado player able to direct it on net.
The Red Bulls were almost gifted a second just before the break when Facundo Erpen turned on a long clearance and sent a lazy header back toward his own goal. But Juan Pablo Angel read it the entire way and got a foot onto the ball before it reached Coundoul. He nearly nicked it past the 'keeper, but wasn't able to get enough on it and Coundoul gratefully snatched it.
New York had a couple of good chances to double their lead just after the break. Wolyniec again got in behind the Rapids defense, but again lost the chance dribbling at goal. Then substitute Joe Vide -- with his first touch of the game -- got onto the end of a deflected cross at the spot, but tamely bounced his header into Coundoul's hands.
Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo made two changes at the half, bringing on Herculez Gomez and Daniel Wasson for Beckerman and Clark. Gomez was very active in his first match back in Colorado colors after playing in Copa America with the U.S. national team, but was just unable to get a final touch on goal.
Gomez was credited with the Rapids' first shot on goal on the hour mark, through a wild scramble. A cross came in from the right, and Jeff Parke fell as he tried to head clear. The ball -- and Parke -- fell at Gomez's feet, who was able to just barely prod it goalward before Red Bulls goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus snared it.
The Rapids had all of the attack, but just couldn't convert it into any real chances. And when they did, fortune wasn't smiling. A wonderful buildup in the 73rd minute saw Gomez backheel the ball to Kirovski some 25 yards from goal, and he hammered a high drive that beat Waterreus -- only to crash against the crossbar and back out.
Waterreus made the one save he had to make in the 83rd minute, when Peterson cut in on the left side of the area and hit a good, low angled drive ticketed for the far post. But the former Dutch international dove to his left to parry the attempt.
Two more chances came in stoppage time, with Peterson again the instigator. He intercepted the ball and raced into the box before sliding a square pass to substitute Roberto Brown after Waterreus had committed to coming off his line. But Jeff Parke came in with a timely intervention.
Peterson then was unmarked as Brandon Prideaux flighted in a cross from the right, and sent a header goalward that beat the dive of Waterreus. But the ball hit the outside of the post and bounded away, and with it went Colorado's last chance.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
