Colorado Rapids 0-0 Houston Dynamo: http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Matt-Pickens-c24777 to the rescue – MLS recap
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Houston-Dynamo-c39542 in a Major League Soccer week-17 fixture at d**k’s Sporting Goods Park on Sunday, July 3.
Dynamo, after a very physical and tactically strong game from the Rapids, sneaked out with a draw as the game ended scoreless. For Rapids, even their stay in Washington DC at White House could not bring the missing spark to the roster. The team was invited to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington by President Barack Obama to celebrate 2010 MLS Cup win.
The reigning MLS Cup champions put up a great show in front of the home crowd, bossing majority of the possession, though, the final touch was hard to come by on the weekend. The latest result means the Rapids have just one win from their recent five games, drawing two and losing as many.
For Houston, the front men responsible for adding goals to the score line were Will Bruin and Brain Ching, supported by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Danny-Cruz-c10202 was in the centre of the park.
The four-man defence comprised of left-back Kofi Sarkodie, centre-backs Jermaine Taylor and Andre Hainault, and right-back http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Corey-Ashe-c9432. However, the man behind getting Dynamo out of d**k’s Sporting Park with a draw was goalkeeper Tally Hall, who notched six saves to earn a clean sheet.
The Rapids had the same 4-4-2 formation with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pablo-Mastroeni-c28990 took to their respective flanks.
Stoppers http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Drew-Moor-c11678 on the left and right of the back line respectively. Matt Pickens was the man in the net for the Rapids.
However, the champions’ forward line-up with one of the best http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Attackers-c38555 in the league, Cummings, failed to score and succumbed to Hall’s man of the match performance.
With all hands on board, except Casey owing to a suspension, the Rapids entered their home ground with a physical game on their minds, if not a win.
The first half started in the Rapids’ favour with first attempt being launched by Smith in the 10th minute.
Cummings threaded a ball to Mullan at the half-line and the defensive midfielder dribbled on to the right flank and fed Smith with an inch-perfect cross. Smith’s finish, however, sailed just over the bar.
Folan came closer to scoring one for the Rapids in last minute of the first half. The 28-year-old played a one-two with fellow forward, Cummings, and managed to surge into Die Oranje defence. However, just like the other tries, the last chance of the half also went begging.
The Rapids managed 75 percent of the ball possession in the first half, firing five shots on target. On the other side of the field, the Houston-based side could not muster even a single shot on the goal.
The second half brought some chances to Kinnear’s side. On the 69th minute mark, Davis produced a good chance for veteran Ching in the Rapids’ penalty area. The attacking midfielder chipped the ball to Ching in the 18-yard box, by-passing the entire http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Defence-c38904, but the striker could not control the ball with only Pickens to beat.
Minutes later, Ching had another chance to add his name to the score sheet. The player dribbled into the box in a one-on-one situation with Pickens and lobbed the ball into the net, but his attempt was ruled offside by some distance.
The Rapids continued to exert pressure on the visitors but Hall was in supreme form in front of the goal.
The goalkeeper saved some outrageous attempts from the Rapids side in quick succession. First Moor connected to Folan’s free-kick, but Hall jumped high to punch it over the cross bar. The next victim was second-half substitute, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Quincy-Amarikwa-c30220, who got the best chance of the game to score for the defending champions. However, his bullet of a shot fell victim to yet another Hall marvel save.
Folan had an opportunity to steal the headlines in the closing stages of the game. The player got into the box with five minutes remaining in the match and tried to chip the Dynamo keeper, who was quick to get off his line and made the last save of the game.
Gary Smith and company now move to Kansas to take on Sporting Kansas City at LIVESTRONG http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Toronto-FC-c40744 at Robertson Stadium on Saturday, July 9.
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