The scoreboard shows another futile effort from the Colorado Rapids, but the heart they have displayed despite an utterly miserable winless run should provide some solace, says head coach Pablo Mastroeni.
The Rapids fell 1-0 at home to FC Dallas on Saturday afternoon, and have now collected just two points from their last thirteen games to plummet out of playoff contention in the Western Conference. And, in another unfortunate turn of events for Mastroeni's men, defender Chris Klute was whistled for a handball as he tried to clear a bouncing ball in his own penalty area, and Dallas forward Blas Perez converted for the lone goal of the game in the 56th minute.
"That’s all I wanted from the guys, was to make sure they fight until the end," Mastroeni told reporters after the game. "We’ve been working tactically all week and I said, 'At the end of the day all this is meaningless if you don’t have the fight,' and I think today they fought hard and lost on a call. That call you have no control over."
Colorado comfortably won the possession battle (56.9% to Dallas' 43.1%), but did little to help their cause in front of goal by putting five of their six shots on the day off target and testing FCD 'keeper Raul Fernandez only once, a Dillon Powers shot from just outside the area that was comfortably saved by the Peruvian.
The home team's woes were compounded when rookie midfielder Jared Watts picked up his second yellow card for a foul in the 79th minute after initially being booked for dissent in the 56th.
"I thought we played well. We were knocking on the door and just couldn’t get one in," said Rapids midfielder Nick LaBrocca after the game. "It was unfortunate to have that penalty kick against us and then the red card – it just came down to heart after that.
"We were pretty dangerous I thought but it’s just a matter of sticking together and getting ready for next year now."
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The Rapids will be counting on one relatively new face to lead them in their quest to turn it around, veteran defender Zat Knight, who joined the team on Oct. 1 after a 16-year career in England, spent mostly in the Premier League. Knight has now started the last two games after making his debut as a halftime sub in a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders and took the captain's armband against Dallas. Though he's a new face, it's a familiar role for the 34-year-old, who captained Bolton Wanderers in his final stop in England.
"I think Zat is one of the guys that has stepped into the locker room and, without saying anything, has earned the respect of the guys," Mastroeni said. "His ability to be such a professional day in and day out - I think he commands a presence."
That presence will be vital if Colorado are to pick up a win, or even a point, in their season finale in Vancouver, where the Whitecaps could well be battling for their their playoff lives.
"We’ve got one more game - really try to go out and win the game," Mastroeni said of the team's goal for the finale. "Really start preparing for next year in the offseason but make sure we don’t disregard the importance of next week’s game. It’s another opportunity for all of us to end the season on the right note."
