The Colorado Rapids returned home and claimed their first victory of the young 2006 campaign, riding three Terry Cooke set-ups for a 3-1 victory against the Columbus Crew on Saturday night at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Both teams came into the game having lost its season openers on the road. But after Columbus opened the scoring through Chad Marshall, the Rapids got goals from Jovan Kirovski, Kyle Beckerman and Fabrice Noel to capture the full three points.
Hungry for their first-ever victory at Invesco Field, the Crew were aggressive throughout the first half, dominating the field and selfishly maintaining possession.
Their early control of the momentum paid off after just 10 minutes when Danny Szetela lofted a free kick in front of goal and Marshall was left unmarked to volley home past Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
Cannon was given a workout throughout the first half, stopping point blank shots from Szetela and Jacob Thomas, who was everywhere for the Crew, making plays from his position on the right flank and getting shots in from close range.
Thomas came closest in the 22nd minute when he received the ball in front of the Rapids goal on the full run, passed a couple defenders as he cut into the center and took a shot from the heart of the penalty area which Cannon saved.
Colorado finally began to turn the game around, and in the 34th minute, the home side drew level. Jean Philippe Peguero and Cooke played a nice combination on the left which led to a beautiful cross from Cooke, finding Kirovski in front of goal. He rose above his defender and headed the ball into the corner, catching Columbus goalkeeper Jon Busch flat-footed to tie the game.
Though the Crew owned the better of the play in the first half, the Rapids came out strong after the interval, showing a new drive as they picked up the pace of the game and took control of the momentum.
Just five minutes after the restart Colorado took the lead, Cooke again centering the ball, this time for Beckerman. The young midfielder fired a cannon at the Columbus goal that was deflected by the Crew's Brandon Moss, the ball bouncing off his head into his own goal to give Colorado the lead.
The Crew then nearly pulled level, but Cannon again saved his side. First Moss forced a terrific save out of the Rapids 'keeper, then Ritchie Kotschau hammered a shot from the left in the 61st minute which eluded the hands of a leaping Cannon but found the crossbar and bounded back into play.
Cooke then contributed to his third to seal the match, crossing the ball into the area for Noel to head home to give the Rapids the 3-1 lead which they did not relinquish.
The Rapids victory kept the Crew winless through seven matches at Invesco Field, with Colorado winning four, and the teams playing to a tie in three. The Crew has won only one game ever in Denver, in 1999 at the old Mile High Stadium.
Owen Perkins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
