Colorado Rapids 0, San Jose Earthquakes 0 | MLS Match Recap

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – A physical, touchy encounter at a rainy Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday afternoon resulted in a scoreless draw between the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes.

The result kept San Jose winless through their opening five games of the season and pushed Colorado’s unbeaten streak to three gams.

But perhaps the bigger story was Adam Jahn’s 86^th-minute red card after a late challenge on Rapids rookie Jared Watts, resulting in the Colorado coaching staff barking at Earthquakes head coach Mark Watson. Jahn caught Watts with his shoulder, leaving the rookie on the ground and the Quakes forward with a straight red. But the Rapids were unable to take advantage of the man advantage and saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.

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Chances were rare as both sides struggled to get any sort of offensive momentum on the rain-soaked field, although an Alan Gordon header in the first minute nearly opened the scoring for the Earthquakes (0-2-3). Dillon Serna’s second-half introduction helped Colorado some on the offensive end, but it was too little, too late for the home side.

Gordon nearly pulled the visitors ahead 38 seconds in when his header from a corner kick clanged off the crossbar.

The Rapids started to work their way into the match though, nearly scoring in the 25^th on a Deshorn Brown shot, but Jon Busch made a diving save to deny the Jamaican. A downpour midway into the first half didn’t help the choppy play. The Rapids did get a good look when Watts, making his second MLS start, ripped off a long distance shot in the 34^th that required another Busch save.

On the other side of the half, chances were also relatively few and far between as elbows outnumbered corner kicks. Serna’s home debut in the 70^th minute appeared to breathe a little life into the mostly absent Rapids attack, but San Jose’s defense was able to keep Colorado off the scoreboard relatively easily – even after Jahn’s expulsion – thanks to a number of gutsy clearances by center back Victor Bernardez.

The Earthquakes head home for a California showdown with Chivas USA on Saturday night, while the Rapids hit the road for a trip to CenturyLink Field to face the Sounders on the same day.

Chris Bianchi covers the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com.
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