The scoreboard showed one thing, the game itself showed another.
In FC Dallas’ 1-0 opening day win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night, one horrific blunder decided a game that the Rapids felt that they should have not only drawn, but won.
One lapse in concentration cost Colorado a point. In the 11th minute, David Ferreira’s floating cross from just beyond the midfield stripe appeared to harmlessly bounce a few yards in front of the penalty box, but Rapids goalkeeper Steward Ceus charged out from his goal and misjudged the ball. Then, realizing that he was outside the penalty box, Ceus, who was filling in for injured starter Matt Pickens, watched as the ball floated over his head, leaving FCD's Jackson the easy task of simply tapping in for the game’s only goal.
WATCH: Ceus mistake costs Colorado
RECAP: FC Dallas capitalize on Ceus error for a 1-0 win
“I thought we were the best team on the field from the first minute to 90 full minutes,” Rapids head coach Oscar Pareja said post-game. “But we made a mistake and we paid for it.”
The blunder ruined an otherwise solid evening for the visiting Rapids. Despite missing Pickens, striker Edson Buddle and midfielders Martin Rivero and Jaime Castrillon to injury – four regular starters – the Rapids controlled over 62 percent of the possession and landed 12 attempts on goal to Dallas’ eight (see Opta Chalkboard to chart Rapids' shots on goal).
“It’s a funny game sometimes in that you feel like you deserve a result and don’t get one,” Rapids rookie Dillon Powers, making his first MLS start, told MLSsoccer.com by phone after the match. “The team is still pretty happy with the performance, disappointed with the result, but I think there’s still a lot to build on.”
FULL BOX SCORE AND MATCH STATISTICS
But even with Powers and fellow rookie DeShorn Brown impressing, ultimately, one major blunder ended up costing the Rapids three points in their season opener.
“I’m very proud of the boys,” Pareja said. “The goal was a mistake, but I’m very proud of the team and very happy with the performance. The guys played very well today and created options. We dictated tempo. We were all over.”
Chris Bianchi covers the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com.
