Omar Cummings scored a dramatic 90th-minute goal to give a 10-man Colorado Rapids an improbable 2-1 win against Chivas USA on Sunday at The Home Depot Center and keep their playoff hopes alive entering the final week of the regular season.
Cummings snatched the winner after the Rapids and Chivas traded goals midway through the second half. The Rapids had been reduced to 10 men for the half after Brandon Prideaux was sent off in the 46th minute.
Despite being a man down, the Rapids were able to do what no other team has been able to do all year long -- beat Chivas on their home field. The Rapids also put an end to Chivas' 11-game unbeaten streak.
With the win, the Rapids edged closer to eighth and final playoff spot. However, they will still need to win their final match -- at home against Real Salt Lake -- and hope that other results fall their way next weekend.
The Rapids used a three-forward attack for much of the match and in the third minute Terry Cooke nearly capitalized but his shot sailed just wide of the post.
In the 32nd minute, Kosuke Kimura was clipped from behind by Chivas defender Claudio Suarez a yard outside the Chivas penalty area. Suarez received a yellow card and the Rapids were given a free kick. Jose Cancela's attempt, however, was deflected out of play.
Chivas midfielder Sacha Kljestan nearly slammed home a long-range shot in the 42nd minute but he sent his 25-yard shot just wide left of the goal.
The Rapids looked dangerous throughout much of the first half. However, moments into the second half, their fortunes changed.
Defender Brandon Prideaux was sent off for pulling down Maykel Galindo on a breakaway five yards outside the Rapids penalty area.
Being the last defender on the play when the foul occurred, referee Alex Prus was forced to show Prideaux the red card and leave the Rapids shorthanded the rest of the way.
Chivas quickly took advantage of the man advantage and created several goal-scoring opportunities, including a Suarez point-blank miss from inside 10 yards and Galindo's wide shot from five yards out.
Just as the Rapids' playoff hopes appeared to be slipping away from them, Ihemelu yanked them back into their grip in the 64th minute. A Rapids set piece was knocked into the Chivas penalty area before Ihemelu slammed the loose ball past Brad Guzan and into the back of the net. Ihemelu could not have picked a more opportune moment to score his first goal of the season.
Minutes later, Coundoul did his part to keep the Rapids season alive.
First, the Colorado 'keeper made a highlight reel fingertip save on a Jonathan Bornstein header. Then moments later he stopped a Laurent Merlin shot from nine yards out.
But Chivas broke through in the 78th minute. Kljestan chipped a ball over a Rapids defender and into space for Orlando Perez, who hit a first time left-footed shot past Ihemelu and Coundoul.
Then, in the 90th minute, Casey went down the left side of the field and slipped a a low cross across the goalmouth to Cummings, who knocked it in to give the Rapids a 2-1 advantage and set off a frenzied celebration on the Rapids bench. More importantly, the goal gave the Rapids continued hope of a playoff berth.
The Rapids now have 35 points, sitting in ninth place in the MLS overall standings, two points behind the seventh-place tie between the Chicago Fire and the Kansas City Wizards. The Rapids will have to defeat RSL next Saturday and also have Kansas City and Chicago lose their weekend matches against FC Dallas and the LA Galaxy respectively.
The loss also left Chivas USA precariously balanced atop the Western Conference. With 52 points, they are four ahead of Houston Dynamo, who play Monday against Real Salt Lake in their next-to-last game of the season. The teams conclude the regular season against each other next Saturday in Carson.
Danny Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
