Colorado’s unblemished record when scoring first this season nearly took a fateful blow on Saturday night at FC Dallas, but a resilient second half effort allowed the Rapids to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Pizza Hut Park.
The Rapids received an early goal from Jeff Larentowicz for a quick 1-0 lead and an equally important tally after the break from the former New England Revolution mainstay to erase a 2-1 FC Dallas lead and help Colorado improve to 11-0-6 when they score first in 2010.
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FCD controlled much of the first-half possession after the first Larentowicz goal, but the Rapids controlled much of the flow after the break even after Larentowicz pulled his team even off a header from a perfect corner by Jamie Smith in the 51st minute.
While the crucial point will be valued by the squad, it will be the performance which will perhaps mean just as much with just two games now left in the regular season.
“We were disappointed at the end of the first half because it seemed too easy for Dallas to create those opportunities and we found ourselves in a bit of a hole,” Rapids head coach Gary Smith told MLSsoccer.com after the game. “Then you saw a group of players who showed great determination and spirit in that second half. It was just a different mindset; they went for it and looked a playoff group.”
Conor Casey and Omar Cummings, in particular, asked all sorts of questions of the Dallas defenseand goalkeeper Dario Sala. Drew Moor had a header from another Smith corner cleared off the line in the 76th minute, and Cummings also had a goal disallowed for offside.
In the dying seconds, the Jamaican was clearly held back while running clear on goal, but no foul was given.
The Rapids were very disappointed after last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat to last-place D.C. United, but such a determined performance Saturday will do plenty to erase the memory and give them further confidence as they seek to secure a playoff spot.
The Rapids face the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center next weekend and wrap up the season on Oct. 23 at home against Real Salt Lake.
“The performance should give everybody a shot in the arm and shows what this team is all about,” Smith said. “For large parts of this game, we were the better team and we hit the target on more occasions. But for two or three fabulous saves for Sala, we should have won it.”
