The Colorado Rapids Reserves battled the San Jose Earthquakes Reserves to a 1-1 draw under a cloudless sky today at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The Rapids Reserves had the first scoring chance in the 22nd minute when Ciaran O'Brien put in a corner kick that Kelly Gray headed, but San Jose 'keeper Preston Burpo was in the right position to make the save.
Gray almost put the Rapids Reserves up again in the 35th minute. His long drive from 25 yards out was saved by a diving Burpo.
In the second half, the Rapids Reserves had most of the opportunities, but Burpo made saves on Herculez Gomez and Jacob Peterson after they had been put behind the Earthquakes Reserves defense.
Gray would break the scoring barrier in the 80th minute. Kosuke Kimura played a ball to Gray on the flank. The San Jose native then cut inside and ripped a shot inside the far post to give Colorado the 1-0 lead.
San Jose would equalize in the 88th minute when Eric Denton took a free kick from just outside the penalty area and snuck his shot to the far post and in.
Herculez had an opportunity to grab the game winner in the 90th minute, but his chip over Burpo landed just outside the net.
The Rapids Reserves will play again on Sunday, May 11 when they take on the Houston Dynamo Reserves at 9 a.m. MT on the Carl Lewis Field at the University of Houston.
Scoring Summary:
COL - Gray (Kimura) 80
SJ - Denton (unassisted) 88
Lineups:
Colorado Rapids Reserves - Chris Sharpe, Kelly Gray, Cesar Zambrano, Tim Ward, Jordan Harvey, Nico Colaluca (Herculez Gomez 58), Pablo Mastroeni (Brian Grazier 62), Mehdi Ballouchy (Raphael Gomes 70), Ciaran O'Brien, Jovan Kirovski (Tom McManus 58), Jacob Peterson (Kosuke Kimura 75)
Substitute not used: A.J. Kurtz
San Jose Earthquakes Reserves - Preston Burpo, Eric Denton, Jamil Roberts (Javier Ayala-Hill 70), Greg Curry, Ryan Johnson, Adam Sloustcher, Joe Vide, Adam Smarte, Matt Hatzke (Scott Campbell 59), Shea Salinas (Julian Nash 45), John Cunliffe
Substitutes not used: None
Misconduct Summary:
COL - Mastroeni (Caution) 11
COL - Ward (Caution) 30
SJ - Smarte (Caution) 57
SJ - Roberts (Caution) 67
SJ - Campbell (Caution) 67
COL - Harvey (Caution) 88
