WESTMINSTER, COLO. - Four different players scored goals and Bouna Coundoul kept a clean sheet for the Colorado Rapids Reserves in a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Crew Reserves in a game played at the Rapids training facility in Westminster, Colorado on Sunday, April 9 at 11:00 a.m. (MT).
Sasha Gotsmanov, Aaron King, Luchi Gonzalez and Dan Gargan all got on the score sheet as Colorado won its MLS Reserve League opener.
The Rapids struck first in the 26th minute when Gonzalez played a through ball down the right touchline for Jacob Peterson. Peterson raced toward the near post, drew the goalkeeper off of his line and slotted the ball to Gotsmanov, who finished the play.
Just two minutes later Rapids left back Jordan Harvey played a ball into the box from the sideline that Denver native King latched on to and put in the back of the net.
Eleven minutes from the halftime whistle Anthony Peters was called for a hand ball inside the Crew penalty area. Gonzalez stepped up and placed the ball to the right as goalie Andy Grenebaum dove to the left, to put the Rapids up 3-nil.
The Rapids closed their scoring account in the second-to-last-minute of the game when Gotsmanov beat two Crew defenders in the corner and got a cross off to the far post. King redirected the ball back toward the middle and guest player Cody Berg flicked the ball on to Gargan, who scored into the empty net.
The Rapids will be back in league action this coming Saturday, April 15th when they take on Western Conference rivals FC Dallas at 7 p.m. at INVESCO Field. Colorado knocked Dallas out of the playoffs in a shootout last season. The Rapids Reserve will host the Houston Dynamo Reserves on Sunday, April 30 at 10:00 a.m. (MT) at the Westminster Training Facility.
Colorado Rapids Man of the Match: Luchi Gonzalez
Scoring Summary:
COL - Gotsmanov (Peterson, Gonzalez) 26
COL - King (Harvey) 28
COL - Gonzalez (Penalty Kick) 34
COL - Gargan (Berg, King) 89
LINEUPS:
Colorado Rapids - Bouna Coundoul, Dan Gargan, Liam Girrard (Zack Kubilca 46), Stephen Keel, Jordan Harvey, Luchi Gonzalez, Sasha Gotsmanov, Daniel Wasson, Josh Elbaum (Cody Berg 72), Aaron King, Jacob Peterson Substitutes Not Used: Mike Cardenas
Columbus Crew - Andy Grenebaum, Brett McNabb (Duke Hashimoto 19), Tim Ward, Joel Kitamirike, Marcos Gonzalez (Jake Trager 46), Ivan Becerra, Dayton O'Brien, Eric Vasques, Jose Retiz (Anthony Peters 32, Jason Gary 46), Knox Cameron, John Wolyniec (Kevin Nugent 60) Substitutes Not Used: Bill Gaudette
Misconduct Summary:
CLB - Kitamirike (Caution 41)
CLB - Kitamirike (Caution, Ejection 75)
