COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Conor Casey scored a late equalizer and nearly put in a winner in the dying minutes as Colorado settled for a 1-1 draw with Kansas City on Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
The big striker powered into the Wizards’ box and past Shavar Thomas in the 74th minute to put the Rapids even with his seventh goal of the season.
Fifteen minutes later he found himself alone in nearly the same spot and had an open net after KC ‘keeper Jimmy Nielsen fell while coming out to challenge him. But Casey muffed his chip off the post, and Colorado had to settle for a hard-earned draw in a game they chased for most of the contest.
In the first half, the Wizards’ Teal Bunbury, Davy Arnaud and Kei Kamara were by far the more consistently dangerous offensive threat.
It was striker Arnaud who gave Kansas City the lead in the 20th minute when he latched onto a through pass and slotted past Matt Pickens into the Colorado net. The Rapids were lucky not to be 2-0 down just before the half when Bunbury hit the post twice with a shot in the 41st minute.
With Claudio Lopez and Jamie Smith on in the second half and Colorado coach Gary Smith employing a more conventional 4-4-2 formation, the Rapids looked far more dangerous and created several chances, particularly from the 70th minute on when the game really started to open up.
But despite Casey’s heroics, it wasn’t to be for the Rapids, who grabbed their fourth draw in their last five games and have now failed to win since beating Columbus at home on June 5. Kansas City, meanwhile, have enjoyed a far more successful few days, with four points from Saturday’s match and the midweek win in Columbus.
The Rapids next travel to Seattle on July 25. The Wizards, meanwhile, get a break from MLS action and will welcome Manchester United to Kansas City with a friendly against the English powerhouse at Arrowhead Stadium, also on July 25.
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Davy Arnaud 2 (Craig Rocastle 1) 20
COL -- Conor Casey 7 (Jamie Smith 3) 74
Misconduct Summary:
COL -- Scott Palguta (caution; Reckless
Foul) 36
KC -- Kei Kamara (caution; Reckless Foul) 43
Lineups:
Kansas City Wizards -- Jimmy Nielsen, Michael Harrington, Jimmy Conrad, Shavar Thomas, Roger Espinoza, Davy Arnaud (Graham Zusi 86), Stephane Auvray, Craig Rocastle (Jack Jewsbury 63), Ryan Smith (Josh Wolff 75), Kei Kamara, Teal Bunbury.
Colorado Rapids -- Matt Pickens, Kosuke Kimura, Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne, Scott Palguta (Danny Earls 44), Omar Cummings, Mehdi Ballouchy (Jamie Smith 46), Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Colin Clark (Claudio Lopez 62), Conor Casey.
Referee: Michael Kennedy
Referee's Assistants: Steven Taylor; Philippe Briere
4th Official: David Gantar
Time of Game: 1:51
Weather: Partly Cloudy-and-95-degrees
Attendance: 12,825
