The crowd came for the fireworks and got them before, after, and especially during the game, as the New York Red Bulls were beaten 4-0 by the Colorado Rapids. A record crowd at Dick's Sporting Goods Park saw New York continue their run of poor play and Colorado continue their excellent play on Independence Day, behind goals from Tom McManus, Mehdi Ballouchy, Colin Clark and Omar Cummings.
Rapids playmaker Christian Gomez nearly got the fireworks started in the seventh minute. Mehdi Ballouchy, charging forward from midfield, received a through ball that sent him down the right flank. From there, he sent a long cross into the box directly to Gomez, who had drifted free of his man but his header was just over the bar.
In the 24th minute, the Rapids put the first tally on the board in only their second shot of the half. Near midfield, Clark played a nice give and go with Facundo Erpen that freed him to charge down the left wing. Before Red Bulls fullback Hunter Freeman could recover, Clark sent a little chip to the far post where an unmarked McManus was waiting, and he hammered the ball first-time into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season.
New York battled to get back in the game, and had their first chance in the 26th minute. Making a run from the back, Jeff Parke took a shot from the edge of the box, but Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul was well placed to make the save.
McManus nearly stole another in the 35th minute when he received a through ball from Ballouchy and took a hard shot from the edge of the box. Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway was not troubled by the low, bouncing shot.
But the Rapids did not have to wait much longer for their second goal. In the 37th minute Casey, who had been waging a physical battle with the New York back line all half, received the ball and played it off to Cooke, whose cross from the right found Ballouchy streaking to the front post. Ballouchy's first-time redirection curled up into the corner of the net for the goal.
New York looked sure to get one back when Dane Richards beat Erpen, leading to an odd man rush. The ball was quickly worked to the left flank where Dave van den Bergh had an open shot at net, but Coundoul was able to dive and make a great save.
Christian Gomez nearly scored a third for the Rapids in added time. Taking a free kick from 25 yards, his well-struck effort went around the wall, but sailed just over the center of the bar.
At halftime, each coach shook things up a bit. Colorado replaced forward Casey with Cummings, while New York took out midfielder Seth Stammler and defender Hunter Freeman for Mike Magee and Juan Pablo Angel. It was Angel's first action after missing four games with a strained hamstring.
Clark got the third Rapids goal with an excellent individual effort in the 49th minute. Beating Richards on the dribble he then split the defense and dribbled into the box before unleashing a hard left-footed shot across the face of the goal that rocketed into the far side netting for his third goal of the season.
Cummings should have put the New York even further in the hole in the 58th minute. Using his speed to rush past the Red Bulls back line and create a breakaway, he unleashed a low, hard shot that beat a diving Conway but skipped just barely wide of the right post.
The Rapids continued their assault on the New York goal in the 62nd minute. After some great dribbling from Cummings, Terry Cooke played a nice cross the far side of the goal, but Clark's header was wide.
Cummings had yet another chance in the 64th minute on yet another great cross from Cooke. Some 40 yards out, Cooke sent the ball straight to the center of the box, but although Cummings was able to beat the defense to the ball, his sliding effort went well over the bar.
Cummings finally got his goal in the 68th minute. Ballouchy and MacManus played some nice one-twos in midfield before giving the ball to Cummings at the top of the box. Cummings was able to take a dribble past his defender before beating Conway with a low shot to the corner, his fourth goal of the season.
The victory ended a four-game winless streak for the Rapids, while New York has only won one of their last five league matches. The victory continues the Rapids stellar play on Independence Day, as in their entire history they have only lost one game on the Fourth of July.
The Red Bulls remain on the road, facing the Wizards in Kansas City on Thursday, July 10, while the Rapids head back on the road in an attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, traveling to play San Jose next Saturday.
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
