Final
Colorado hopes to snap winless skid in Columbus
Jun 24, 2011 - 11:15 PM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Colorado last played at Crew Stadium on Nov. 6 last year, suffering possibly the best loss in club history, as the Rapids won an ensuing penalty kick shootout to snap an aggregate tie in the playoffs.Just weeks later, Colorado lifted the Anschutz Trophy as MLS Cup champions for the first time in franchise history. So, even though the last trip to Columbus produced a 2-1 loss, the 2-2 aggregate and penalty kick victory were worth it.
Now the Rapids (5-2-8) will try to bounce back from a 3-1 loss the Los Angeles Galaxy, a result that ended their nine-match unbeaten run, and win in Columbus (6-4-7) for the first time since 2004 on Sunday in Major League Soccer.
Colorado downed Columbus, 2-1, in 2004 at Crew Stadium, but have dropped four of the last six games and tied the other two in the regular season. And oddly, the Rapids are in a rut at home, having accumulated more points on the road.
In eight road matches, Colorado has three wins and three draws for 11 points - at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Rapids are 2-2-4, and are winless in their last six.
But coach Gary Smith's club remains a serious contender for another MLS title, and even with defender Marvell Wynne, goalkeeper Matt Pickens and forward Omar Cummings among those carrying injuries, the Rapids are fifth in the West.
Smith has used four left backs this season, as Danny Earls earned the start in defense last week against L.A. Smith admitted, "I don't feel comfortable with one person at the moment."
Columbus (6-4-7) earned a huge win last week, as it won at the Houston Dynamo, 2-0, for its first road win of the season. If the Crew can continue to get the results at home it needs, a few more road points could add up.
Rookie Bernardo Anor had a goal and an assist in his first MLS start last week and Andres Mendoza scored his fourth in his last five games.
All together, the Crew had three rookies on the field at the end of the match.
Coach Robert Warzycha knew it would take time to get all his new players into the mix this season after he let a number of veterans go in the offseason, and he was pleased with their performances.
"You can see the guys are getting more comfortable. We focused on consistency with them because if you are young you are going to have some inconsistencies. We are going the right direction," Warzycha said.
Warzycha also believed the win over Houston helped Columbus move past a tough setback to the Chicago Fire, and the Crew could actually find themselves atop the Eastern Conference before the weekend is over with a win.
"It's huge, especially because we lost to Chicago at home 1-0 in the last minute," Warzycha said. "We said before the game, Let's get it back. That's why we came out with so much energy and, tactically we played very well."
- COLORADO: 1
COLUMBUS: 4
Final
Jun 26 9:55 PM - COLORADO: 0
COLUMBUS: 0
1st Half - 44'
Jun 26 8:10 PM
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