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Same song, sixth verse
Forward Conor Casey attempts to charge through the defense of former Rapid Jordan Harvey and Union defender Danny Califf on Saturday night. Colorado set an MLS record with a sixth consecutive tie. (Photograph by Joel Baud/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
Colorado set an MLS record with its sixth consecutive draw on Saturday night, a mark that is neither dubious nor wondrous. Instead, it is the sort of miasmatic milestone that is coming to define the Rapids defense of the 2010 MLS Cup.
Colorado had the better of possession during the night and took the lead in the 63rd minute on Conor Casey’s cheeky chip from the penalty spot of Faryd Mondragon. Pablo Mastroeni earned the penalty when he was brought down in the box. Mondragon protested the call vigorously and watched helplessly at Casey got the better of him with a deft touch.
Then, for the third consecutive game, the Rapids lost the lead. Philadelphia (6-3-3) struck back in the 66th minute. The defense failed to shut down Sebastien Le Toux 25 yards from the goal, and he fed the ball to Danny Mwanga. Mwanga also found space, and ‘keeper Matt Pickens was only able to get a finger on the ball as it found a way home.
Colorado continued to press the question for the next 25 minutes before settling for another draw. And the frustrated crowd, announced at 12,779, trudged out.
Playoff Potential: The Rapids (4-3-7) are undefeated in eight matches. The team also has only one win in those eight matches.
Reaching the playoffs is all about accumulating points. With a 1-0-7 record in the past eight, the Rapids have picked up 10 points. If the team had gone 4-4 in those eight games, Colorado would have earned 12 points. Two points could make all the difference.
Not Pretty: A poet looking at a student’s performance once wrote that “pretty good” wasn’t really good enough. The Rapids are starting to provided a pretty good example of what pretty good looks like. And, with 19 points from 14 games, pretty good may not be good enough.
Conor Casey, who delivered the Rapids lone goal from the penalty spot, works the ball along the touchline. (Photograph by Joel Baud/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
Offensive woes:
While fans and players used “frustrating” to describe the night, the solution to that frustration remains elusive.
While the Rapids miss the speed of the injured Omar Cummings, even his presence would be no guarantee that the scoring pace would pick up.
A team that is stalwart on defense is showing a lack of imagination in attack. The long ball to the head of Conor Casey can work, but the team needs more options. Saturday night in Commerce City, Colorado couldn’t find that additonal approach. Without it, the Rapids are relying on set pieces, and there just aren’t enough set piece opportunities to consistently win.
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