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Rapids, Red Bulls tie 1-1 in rain

Jul 5, 2010 - 4:53 AM COMMERCE CITY, Colo.(AP) -- Juan Pablo Angel saved the New York Red Bulls from defeat on a wet and dreary Sunday night in Colorado.

"This has been a very difficult place for us and the last couple of seasons," Angel said after his ninth goal of the season helped the Red Bulls tie the Rapids 1-1.

"We are pleased with the result but the conditions were very difficult. We managed to tie the game when we weren't playing great but I also think they got the goal when there was nothing in the game. So I think at the end of the day it was a pretty even game. They had their chances and we had a couple of half chances as well so we are pleased with it."

Angel scored in the 34th minute off an assist from Sinisa Ubiparipovic.

"You know, every time when we have chances in the box he is lethal. He scores almost every time," New York coach Hans Backe said. "The thing is that we have to be better to feed him in the 18 yard box because he is a clinical finisher."

And the Red Bulls sure needed it on this night.

"I think we had a very poor start and we went one down after the first 15 minutes, but we responded really well," Backe said. "In the last 30 minutes in the first half we were just getting better and better. We were not controlling the game but we could create some chances."

Neither team scored in the second half, when the rain turned heavy.

"I think we're all a bit disappointed considering we probably controlled the majority of the game," Rapids defender Drew Moore said after Colorado settled for its third straight tie.

"Just frustrating," Rapids coach Gary Smith said. "When we scored, I thought we were in control of a vast portion of the game. ... I think that is just the word of the night- frustrating."

Colorado, playing at home for the first time since June 5, opened the scoring in the 15th minute on Omar Cummings' fourth goal of the season.

"When balls are being played in weather like tonight, especially ones in the air and it bounces, it is that much harder to judge it to get on the end of it because it is coming in that much faster. You have to make sure you get your body behind the ball," Cummings said.

New York is 8-5-1, and Colorado 6-3-4.

The Rapids hosted a July 4 game for the 15th consecutive season. They are 11-2-2 in games played on Independence Day.