so called -- play a game after getting only 15 minutes in the first one and missing the second one. It was nice to get out there in front of the home crowd. I thought I had one there off of that (long) shot. I'm looking forward to the next game in two weeks against Houston."
The bye week went far in allowing Clavijo to get his first-choice lineup back again for the rematch against Dynamo.
"I think it is important that we have two weeks to prepare to get back guys who have been injured. We have Clint (Mathis) and Dedi (Ben-Dayan) who might come back into the starting lineup," Kirovski said. "Hopefully we can get the 11 that we had in the preseason back in the frame again. The other guys came in and did great but it's tough when you are mixing and matching."
However, there was a significant injury in the Rapids group - Clavijo went hiking last weekend near Boulder and suffered a broken collarbone. He was at training during the week with his right arm in a blue sling.
Clavijo also expects center back Aitor Karanka to return to Colorado this week and receive clearance to make his Rapids debut. Clavijo said if he returns before Friday, he will play against Dynamo.
After opening the season with the 5-2 reverse by Houston, the Rapids are looking to turn that result back around. But not necessarily because of the heavy defeat. "The significance of this game for us is that it's a home game and we cannot give up points," Clavijo said to The Denver Post.HOUSTON DYNAMO
Houston Dynamo put an end to their brief two-match losing streak thanks to a late winner, claiming a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against Real Salt Lake at Robertson Stadium last Saturday. Dynamo moved into second place in the Western Conference with six points from four matches, four adrift of division-leading FC Dallas.
LAST MATCH
Dynamo returned home riding a two-game losing skid, playing host to Real Salt Lake, who were still looking for their first victory of 2006 -- and the first road victory of their history.
Despite Houston's domination of the first half, Real capitalized on an error to take the lead. A pass back escaped center back Eddie Robinson and Jeff Cunningham quickly raced onto it, carrying into the penalty area before hitting a bouncing shot that beat Pat Onstad inside his right-hand post (57).
But it took Dynamo just three minutes to equalize. Brad Davis whipped in a corner kick from the right, and Craig Waibel shook his marker and rose up alone at the top of the goal area to powerfully head home.
Then six minutes from time Houston hit for the winner. A long ball from midfield from Robinson was chested down by Brian Ching to De Rosario in full stride, and he thundered into the area before coolly slotting home under the dive of Scott Garlick to return Dynamo to their winning ways at home.
Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made two changes to the team that lost 2-0 to D.C. United the previous weekend in Washington. Dwayne De Rosario returned from suspension and came in the playmaking central midfield role, Adrian Serioux moving to the back four. Eddie Robinson also came to central defense as Eddie Robinson and Kelly Gray both returning to the substitutes' bench.
Here's Kinnear's team (4-3-1-2): Pat Onstad - Craig Waibel, Eddie Robinson, Adrian Serioux, Wade Barrett - Brian Mullan, Ricardo Clark, Brad Davis - Dwayne De Rosario - Brian Ching, Alejandro Moreno (Ronald Cerritos 78) [Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Cochrane, Kevin Goldthwaite, Kelly Gray, Stuart Holden, Marcus Storey, Zach Wells]
"I told the guys at halftime: 'The chances they (Real) are going to get are from our mistakes or from a set piece,' " Kinnear said. "Funny enough, the two best chances they had were a combination of both."TEAM NEWS
De Rosario was a motivated man after sitting out the match against D.C. United when he was sent off in the 2-1 loss to Kansas City Wizards on April 15.
"I felt like I owed the team something," De Rosario said. "I'm very relieved (to have scored the winning goal). People don't understand. ... This is something you do with passion."
Brad Davis started and played the full match for the second consecutive week. He recorded an assist, the first goal he was involved in since scoring the game-winner in 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes victory against Columbus last Aug. 6. "For me, it was great to be able to go out there for 90 minutes again pain-free and be able to contribute," he said to the Houston Chronicle.
Dynamo allowed a goal for the fourth consecutive week and have conceded seven goals in four games. A year ago, when the majority of the squad was playing as the San Jose Earthquakes, they allowed just 31 goals and recorded 12 clean sheets on the season.
"It's one of those that if you don't give up any goals in the beginning of the year and then you give up three or four in the middle of the year nobody panics," said Craig Waibel, who started for the second consecutive week against Real Salt Lake, this time at right fullback.
