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Ricketts powers Toronto FC past Rapids

Jun 15, 2008 - 2:02 AM By Bart van Veghel PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

TORONTO (Ticker) - With five starters missing due to international duty, Toronto FC had to rely on a familiar face and a new emerging goal threat on Saturday.

Rookie Rohan Ricketts had two goals and Danny Dichio also tallied as Toronto FC recorded a 3-1 triumph over the Colorado Rapids. Toronto FC (6-4-2) remained undefeated at home, improving its record to 5-0-2 at rowdy BMO Field.

"I was just glad I could give back something to the fans today," Ricketts said. "All my goals are spectacular and I was glad I could score today. I felt free and had weight off my shoulders.

"To score two goals in one game, I've never done that. To score two goals in one game, I'm speechless, I don't know what to say."

Christian Gomez scored the lone goal for Colorado (5-7-0), which fell to 1-5-0 on the road.

"I think as a unit we did well," Colorado coach Fernando Clavijo said. "As some individuals, we made some mistakes. In the second half we simply opened up. For me, losing 1-0 and 5-0 is the same thing. Some people don't like it, but we play to win, and that's what we did tonight."

The scoring nearly opened in a controversial manner as referee Jair Marrufo forced play to continue in the 29th minute despite Colorado midfielder Colin Clark laying prone in the Toronto FC half of the field. Goalkeeper Brian Edwards struck a long ball that was flicked on by Carl Robinson directly into the path of forward Jeff Cunningham, who just missed his 100th career goal by chipping a shot wide of the left post.

Dichio tallied the 37th minute by pouncing on a sloppy clear by Colorado's Stephen Keel. From just inside the 18-yard box, Dichio recorded his fifth goal of the season by beating goalkeeper Preston Burpo.

"The ball popped out off of Keel and I thought, why not hit this?" Dichio said. "So I did, and the minute I hit it, I knew it was going in."

In the 58th minute, Ricketts fired a left-footed shot which beat Burpo for his first career MLS goal.

Ricketts gave Toronto FC a three-goal advantage in the 67th minute with a wonderful piece of individual skill. Draped by Rapids defensemen Cesar Zambrano and Keel, Ricketts split the two before depositing a left-footed strike to the top left corner of the net. It was the third multi-goal game for a Toronto FC player this season. Dichio and Amado Guevara are the others.

After the match, Ricketts admitted that he was worried if he was ever going to find the back of the net.

"I'd been thinking for a while, when am I going to score? Why can't I score? I'm so skillful, why can I know score?" Ricketts said. "Now is just the beginning and I hope to score many more."

Gomez tallied in the 80th minute on a free kick, rifling a blast past Toronto's wall for his third goal of the season. It was only the second goal allowed by Toronto FC at BMO Field.

"I'm an upset coach despite the win, because we need to have the professionalism to drive home a 3-nil win and not get complacent and lazy like we did," Toronto FC coach John Carver said.

Toronto FC was playing without Jim Brennan (Canada), Greg Sutton (Canada), Guevara (Honduras), Maurice Edu (United States) and Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica), who were all with their international teams.