Matched in the heart of the Western Conference standings, the Colorado Rapids and Chivas USA settled nothing on Thursday night, the 10-man Rapids coming back to snatch a point as the teams battled to a 3-3 draw at Invesco Field at Mile High.
It was a case of "anything you can do, I can do better," as the teams scored goals within minutes of each other in the first half, second half and stoppage time. A double from Chivas rookie Jonathan Bornstein -- both after Mike Petke was sent off midway through the second half -- and a strike from Juan Francisco Palencia were matched by goals from Dedi Ben Dayan, Clint Mathis and Jacob Peterson, the final goal from each team coming after the regulation 90 minutes were complete.
Both teams had a little trouble dealing with the wet conditions at the beginning of the match, leading to many missed passes and long goal kicks, as a downpour had soaked the field just before the game.
The first chance of the game fell to Chivas USA in the fifth minute. Palencia attacked the right flank off a counterattack and dropped the ball back to Juan Pablo Garcia, but his hard shot went well over the bar.
Chivas got on the scoreboard first in the 10th minute. A Bornstein pass found Garcia on a perfectly timed run behind the Rapids flat back line, and he raced in all alone on Colorado 'keeper Joe Cannon. Garcia shot just inside the area but Cannon did an excellent job to come off of his line and block the shot. Unluckily for Cannon, the rebound bounced straight to Palencia just outside the area, who chipped it over the Rapids goalkeeper and into the net.
The Rapids stormed straight back from the kickoff. Kyle Beckerman flicked on a long pass from midfield to a newly-shorn Jovan Kirovski. Kirovski had the space and time at the top of the box to wait for Ben Dayan to run free on the left, where he received Kirovski's slotted pass and coolly finished past Chivas USA 'keeper Preston Burpo for his fourth goal of the season.
Terry Cooke nearly added to his league-leading assist total for the Rapids in the 25th minute. His cross, coming from a counterattack, sought out Kirovski and Nicolas Hernandez, but Kirovski's glancing header put the ball just out of his teammate's reach.
The play continued to be ragged in the fist half, with each team creating opportunities that broke down because of poor passing. The best chance as the half would down came from Tim Regan, whose long shot from the top corner of the box skipped past Cannon but went wide of the post.
Garcia almost put one into his own goal in the 44th minute, trying to clear a Cooke cross. Fortunately for Garcia, his hard volley was directed right at Burpo.
Just after the restart, Chivas had another excellent chance to score. Bornstein, who looked dangerous all night as a forward in place of the suspended Ante Razov, received a ball from the midfield and streaked past Petke to race in all alone against Cannon. But the Rapids 'keeper came off his line unhesitatingly to block Bornstein's hasty shot.
Bornstein was unlucky again not to score in the 51st minute. Francisco Mendoza, who dribbled into the box on the left, pulled the ball back for Bornstein, who sent a quick shot. His shot deflected off Palencia and looped up and over a diving Cannon -- who could only watch as it bounced off the crossbar and away from goal.
Chivas was in full control of the game at this point, with quick attacks and passes that spread the field and kept the ball from the Rapids, who had managed only two shots on goal. A long cross from Palencia in the 56th minute gave Mendoza another chance at goal, but his shot was right at Cannon, who punched it over the bar.
After some substitutions, including inserting Mathis into the midfield, the Rapids started to adopt a more patient approach with possession, attacking through the middle. Although it did not immediately translate into many good chances, it did keep the ball from Chivas, who previously seemed certain to score the go-ahead goal.
The paid off in the 67th minute. A slashing run from Cooke led to a cross that glanced off of Ben Dayan's head and fell straight to Mathis, who volleyed the ball into the net on the half-turn for his second goal of the season.
But the game took another dramatic turn just after the goal. Petke clattered into Mendoza as they challenged for the ball, and saw a second yellow card and expulsion from the game by referee Andrew Chapin. While the Rapids protested the call, Mendoza was stretchered off the field and did not return before he was substituted after Chivas' second goal.
Bornstein finally made his threatening night pay off, tying the game in the 74th minute. His speed took him past Dan Gargan at the top corner of the box, and a quick cut took him past a slipping Mastroeni. He had plenty of time to coolly slot his shot past Cannon and into the right corner of the goal.
Mathis nearly scored his second goal of the evening in the 86th minute. A nice series of combinations with Thiago Martins led to a Martins back heel that was just out of reach of Mathis and was corralled by Burpo in front of goal.
Bornstien continued his breakout performance, scoring his second goal of the game just inside of stoppage time. A quick touch sent him spinning right around Gargan at the top of the restraining arc, and he then ripped a blistering left-footed half-volley that Cannon couldn't get close to.
But the Rapids weren't quite done, despite allowing the tying and go-ahead goal after going down a man. A remarkably creative play by Cooke started the play, an overhead flick sending him free down the right flank. He hooked a cross across the top of the six where it was met by rookie Peterson, who bundled the ball across the goal line for his second goal of the season.
While Chivas dominated the statistics sheet and had a man advantage for more than a quarter of the match, the Rapids ended up stealing a point and making sure they would stay level with Chivas in the second tie in the last two meetings between the teams.
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
