The scoreboard at Pizza Hut Park might have read 1-0 in favor of FC Dallas on Saturday night, condemning the Colorado Rapids to their 10th consecutive game without a victory. But Fernando Clavijo's team still felt it could leave north Texas with plenty of positives.
Colorado outshot FCD 14-12 with three of those chances being on frame. But in the second half, the Rapids did a better job with ball possession and outshot the Hoops 8-4, although FCD ended with their third win in as many games between the clubs.
"I thought in the second half, we created enough chances to score but we couldn't," said Clavijo. "We had good chances and possession in the second half but you can't win games without scoring goals and that's been one problem that we have had."
The Rapids nearly drew first blood in the opening minute of play when Jacob Peterson split two FCD defenders and created some space on the left side of the opposing goal. Hoops goalkeeper Ray Burse was drawn out, but Peterson's shot at the empty net went wide to the right of the goal. Burse also saved shots by Peterson in the 62nd and 78th minutes -- the last one leaving the Rapids striker holding his head in disbelief.
"I think he did well," Clavijo said of Peterson's performance. "We had a lot of young guys in today. The guys that we are trying up front tonight, they haven't been able to find the net. So, we have to keep working and try to find the right combination."
But the biggest positive that the Rapids took from the defeat was the fact that they created a good number of chances, something that hadn't been the case recently.
"We're missing the goal by inches," Pablo Mastroeni said. "It's one of those games that just didn't go your way. But it's positive because we're doing everything we can. It's easy to give up and play defense for 90 minutes the rest of the season and lose 1-0. But I think the effort today was worthy of some sort of result."
It was the sixth time in the last eight league games the Rapids were shut out. But this was different from the ones that had come before.
"I'm an offensive player and it's very frustrating when you're in a system where you don't get those looks. But I felt those looks were there tonight," Rapids forward Herculez Gomez said. "I want to be mad, but I can't. I would be mad if we weren't creating opportunities because this is the first time that I can say that we're creating opportunities. I would be more disappointed if we weren't creating them but they're coming. That's a positive, a move in the right direction."
But even Clavijo allowed that his team's lack of finishing is getting frustrated for both players and coaches alike.
"It is frustrating," he said. "It's one thing if you're not creating chances or if your team isn't playing with heart, but we are doing both of those. We never give up and work hard every game. We had chance after chance in the first half in front of the goal. There's nothing we can do but keep working."
Another positive from the loss is that Colorado looks to be getting better acclimated to the three-man back line that Clavijo recently elected to employ.
"We have had to improvise because of some injuries and I think it has worked out well," Clavijo said. "They really didn't have that many clear chances. One mistake costs you the game and we didn't have enough weapons to respond and score. You have to score to win games and that's something we didn't do today."
The Rapids have allowed just four goals in their last five MLS games. But, they've lost two games by 1-0 scorelines, and they've played to a pair of scoreless draws.
"I think it's good. So far, up to this point in the season, we haven't put a lot of numbers on the board and haven't created a lot of chances going forward. With three in the back, that offers another guy in the midfield and has opened up a lot of space," said Mastroeni. "It allows us to be more attack-oriented and I think we're doing a pretty good job of that. We're heading in the right direction and it's tough to adjust to a new system so late. We've done a good job in the last few games but we just need a little luck in turning this thing around."
The Rapids coach admits that if his side is to make a push at qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs, that run will have to commence very soon.
"Time is running out," Clavijo said. "We have 11 games to go and have 36 points. We need to start winning games. The good part of it is that we have three home games this month and hopefully, we can get three victories and things will change."
Added Mastroeni: "Our backs are against the wall as far as the season is concerned. We feel like we have to put a run together here and get some points. We gave up a goal on the bad end of a restart and they did well to capitalize on it."
The Rapids, however, are still in the hunt for a trophy, as they are one of just three MLS teams still alive in the U.S. Open Cup (along with FC Dallas). On Tuesday, the Rapids face USL First Division side Seattle Sounders in a quarterfinal at Qwest Field. Should the Rapids and FCD both win their Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, they would meet in a semifinal match on September 4 in Frisco.
"It's a short turnaround to Tuesday," Gomez said. "We're playing against a motivated team. It's the game of their lives. They want to prove that they belong on the field with an MLS team and want to be in the big show too. It's always a battle."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
