• Recap
• Bleachers

Cummings, Rapids top Chivas USA, remain in playoff hunt

Oct 14, 2007 - 10:40 PM CARSON, California (Ticker) -- Omar Cummings scored the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute as the Colorado Rapids kept their playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Chivas USA on Sunday.

Ugo Ihemelu also scored for the Rapids (9-12-8), who face rival Real Salt Lake in their season finale on Saturday with a spot in the postseason still hanging in the balance.

Colorado now is in ninth place with 35 points - two behind the eighth-place Kansas City Wizards (10-12-7). The Columbus Crew (8-11-10) have 34 points and are three back of the Wizards.

"At this point everything is on the line, all the games at this point are very important," Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo said. "I think we sent out a message to the other teams that they can't count us out."

Kansas City and Columbus both play on Saturday.

The decisive tally was set up by Conor Casey, who had a 1-on-1 battle with Chivas defender Shavar Thomas. Casey got the better of it, sending the ball across the box to Cummings, who scored the eventual game-winner.

"We knew we had to win," Casey said. "We just kept fighting, what else can we do? The whole season is on the line, we got a lucky break. Sometimes that's what it takes."

Ihemelu started the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 64th minute.

"We just keep fighting and today it really paid off," Ihemelu said. "I just glad we're still in it (the playoffs) and hope our momentum carries us through next week."

Orlando Perez scored the lone tally - assisted by Sacha Kljestan - for Chivas, which already has clinched a playoff spot.

"I felt in the first half we had three, four really good chances and had we scored first, we could have dictated the game and probably scored a few more," Chivas coach Preki said. "But give them credit, they fought, they didn't give up and they end up with two scrappy goals."