COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - A 10-man Colorado Rapids held out for nearly the entire match, going a man down and getting a second half goal before seeing the Chicago Fire hit for a late equalizer as the teams played to a 1-1 draw Sunday evening at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The Rapids went a man down after just six minutes but survived until well into the second half, when Herculez Gomez put the home side ahead. But five minutes from the end Chad Barrett hit for the leveling goal to keep both teams undefeated on the young season.
Both teams were facing a windy evening in the Denver suburbs, and both were coming off opening night victories, the Fire defeating the New England Revolution at home and the Rapids riding the high of a nationally televised win against D.C. United.
But the wind went out of the Rapids' sails just as quickly, as in the game's sixth minute Colorado forward Roberto Brown was shown a straight red card by referee Jair Marrufo for a hard sliding tackle on Fire defender C.J. Brown in midfield.
After showing signs of being an aggressive, playmaking group in the season opener, the red card immediately brought more conservative play following Brown's early ejection. Against D.C. United, the wide midfielders and fullbacks were quick to get forward into the attack, but Rapids boss Fernando Clavijo quickly changed that facing the shorthanded situation.
Rapids fans also made their presence felt, with the 12,110 in attendance filling the stadium with a chorus of boos every time the ball came near Chicago's Brown for the remainder of the half. Brown did not return for the second half, replaced by Brazilian midfielder Thiago.
The Rapids veteran back line answered the call, holding the Fire to one shot on goal in the first half. The most serious threat came in the 26th, when Chicago's Chris Rolfe had an open shot on goal but launched it over Colorado 'keeper Bouna Coundoul and over the frame.
Despite the reality of a somewhat restrained attack, the Rapids were able to keep after the Fire, managing a series of quick threats on the counterattack throughout the first half, though only one resulted in a shot on goal, a 30-yard blast from Gomez that proved no problem for goalkeeper Matt Pickens.
The Rapids also made one early substitution, bringing Pablo Mastroeni in for Jovan Kirovski in the 29th minute to provide more defensive presence in the center of the field.
After surviving the opening 45 minutes, the Rapids were able to turn the tables in the 58th minute. Chicago won a corner kick, the restart aimed to the top of the area where Diego Guiterrez unloaded a hard shot at goal.
Coundoul made a big save, and then cleared the ball out to Nicolas Hernandez, who knocked the ball past the final Fire defenders for Gomez to run onto. He drifted to the left side of the area chased by a couple of Fire defenders before curling a shot with his right foot past a charging Pickens and inside the far post.
Coundoul hadn't been called upon to do much to that point, but after another save in the 75th minute on a shot by substitute Pascal Bedrossian (his second of the game), the Senegalese 'keeper cramped up, limping noticeably following the save.
He seemed to have recovered minutes later, but the Fire were still able to draw level in the 85th minute. Rolfe collected the ball and poked it into the area where Barrett trapped it and pushed his shot under Coundoul as he came off the line.
Owen Perkins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
