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Sounders 2, Rapids 2

May 24, 2009 - 5:11 AM By DALE BUBLITZ STATS MLS Correspondent

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (STATS) - During the 71st minute, Colorado Rapids midfielder Nick LaBrocca thought Kasey Keller would flinch when he broke in on the Seattle Sounders goalkeeper. Instead of giving the Rapids a two-goal cushion, Keller stood his ground and turned away the attempt.

"I had my mind I was going to put it there and he made a save," LaBrocca said in disgust. "I think I'm going to have to ask him if he can read minds."

Keller had his own explanation of the play and others that would help the Sounders hold on and eventually gain a 2-all tie with the Rapids.

"I work very hard at it, I haven't taken a day off yet," Keller said. "I've been to every training session, been at every game and so it's difficult for me to say this is who I am and I'll take a few days off because I'm a little so."

"I battle through it all and I do it every game," he said. "If you have that attitude, it's amazing how your form stays at a decent level."

Nate Jaqua's goal in the 76th minute gave the Sounders their fourth straight draw.

"He is phenomenal. He kept us in the game when it was 1-1," Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said of Keller. "That is the reason he's played so many games for the national team and so many years in Europe."

Jaqua's second goal of the season from in close barely got past the reach of Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens.

Colorado's Conor Casey had given the Rapids a 2-1 lead in the 47th minute.

Fredy Montero opened the scoring in the 17th minute for Seattle (4-2-4), which had played in three consecutive 1-all draws and moved to 1-0-4 in its last five matches.

Colin Clark scored in the 25th minute for Colorado (3-2-4), which is 1-0-3 in its last four overall and 2-0-2 at home this season.

Keller brought a league-leading 0.41 goals-against average into the game.

Seattle was without Freddie Ljungberg for a second straight match due to a migraine headache but the Sounders got defender James Riley back after serving a one-game suspension for a red-card violation.

Montero put the Sounders ahead 1-0 with his fourth goal. He hit the crossbar, ran down his own miss and sent the ball into a wide open net.

The Rapids tied it in the 25th minute on Colin's Clark's second goal. Omar Cummings found Clark breaking down through slot and Clark beat Keller.

In the ninth minute, Clark set up a header by Casey, but Keller made the save with both hands. Keller came out of the net to boot the ball away from Clark in the 24th minute.

The Rapids took a 2-1 lead on Casey's sixth goal in the 47th minute. His shot from 15 yards out caught the right foot of Seattle midfielder Sebastien Le Toux and the ball was redirected into the net.

Keller kept it a one-goal game in the 71st minute with a diving stop of a shot by LaBrocca, who found an opening on the right wing.

"It's timing, instincts, reading plays and it's not like he did a great job of standing up on LaBrocca," Schmid said. "When LaBrocca was about to pull the trigger, that's when he reacted and he didn't go down early which a lot of young goalkeepers do."

Jaqua rewarded Kelller and Seattle with a blue collar goal that tied the game.

"Fredy headed it back across and the ball got smashed around in front of the net," Jaqua said. "It just dropped to me and I was able to control it and kick it in."

The Sounders host a return meeting of the teams Tuesday.