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Baudet's goal lifts Rapids over slumping Dynamo 1-0

Aug 30, 2009 - 10:49 PM By DALE BUBLITZ STATS MLS Correspondent

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (STATS) - The Colorado Rapids were momentarily discouraged by the loss of one player. That gave way to elation by the unexpected return of another.

After losing defender Cory Gibbs to a thigh injury in the 13th minute, replacement Julien Baudet scored his first goal of the year in the 55th to lead the Rapids to a 1-0 victory over the slumping Houston Dynamo on Sunday.

"We were feeling pretty down when Gibbs had to come out," Colorado coach Gary Smith said. "At the same time, I thought there was no way Baudet would get into the game - unless there was an injury to a defender. And then it happened."

Playing in his first game since breaking his left forearm last month, Baudet was standing in front of an open net when he received a corner kick from Mehdi Ballouchy and buried a header past goalkeeper Pat Onstad.

"I remember sitting on the ground after I went for a header, landed, heard a crack somewhere, looked at my forearm figuring it was broken in several places and knew it would take me time to get back," Baudet said of his injury, suffered in a 4-0 win over New York on July 25. "The medical people did a job and got me back in five weeks."

Onstad, who had been screened on the play more by teammates than by Colorado forwards, could only shake his head in disgust.

"I could see (Baudet) was running in front, but there were bodies in front of me," Onstad said. "He just flashed into the corner and there was not much I could do about it."

Smith could only wink in delight at Onstad's misfortune.

"That was our first goal off a corner kick all year," Smith said.

Goalkeeper Matt Pickens posted his sixth shutout of the season and 17th of his career for Colorado (9-7-6).

Houston (11-7-7) extended its winless skid to three. The Dynamo have a two-point lead over Los Angeles in the Western Conference.

"Our team looked a little tired today," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "We were fatigued and could only come up with a couple of chances."

Scoring chances were at a premium in the first half. A shot by Houston's Stuart Holden barely missed the right post two minutes into the game. Moments later, Colorado's Nick LaBrocca sent a weak header into Onstad's stomach.

Onstad easily caught Jacob Peterson's shot from 25 yards in the 24th minute and came out of the crease to take the ball off Omar Cummings' right foot in the 41st.

Play opened up briefly at the start of the second half. Pickens came out to stop Kei Kamara on a breakaway in the 49th minute. Seconds later, Onstad batted away a shot by Peterson.

Pickens also stopped a shot by Kamara in the 68th minute. A header by Kamara from inside the crease brushed the outside of the right post in stoppage time.

"There wasn't much to it out there today - a corner kick and a goal," Kinnear said. "It wasn't an entertaining game."