Post-Game: TFC

By: Michael Sandoval

The Colorado Rapids go two for two at home, beating Eastern Conference powerhouse Toronto FC 1-0 Saturday night at Dicks Sporting Goods Park.  It wasn’t the most attractive soccer ever played, Toronto was reduced to ten men thirteen minutes into the game, which forced them to play nine men back for the remainder.  Hoping a boom ball to the incredibly talented Sebastian Giovinco would eventually lead to a goal.  The Rapids dealt with those route one tactics well, but the offensive struggled throughout the game to find space and take advantage of chances.

Toronto’s trouble began in the 11^th minute when Benoit Cheyrou was shown a yellow card for a studs up challenge on Eric Miller.  Two minutes later Cheyrou went up for a ball in the air, leaving his elbow raised.  Bobby Burling also went up for the ball and had the misfortune of taking Cheryou’s elbow in the face.  The referee deemed this reckless play and showed the Toronto FC player his second yellow.  Cheryou didn’t mean to hit Burling but raising your elbow like that forces a ref to make a decision.  When the opposing player suffers a head injury (especially in the modern game) the ref is going to give that card 70% of the time, if not more. 

Colorado capitalized on the man advantage in the 18^th minute when Marco Pappa played Luis Solignac into the eighteen with a marvelous chip.  Solignac (who replaced the injured Kevin Doyle) managed to control the ball beautifully and slotted it passed Clint Irwin for his first MLS goal.  The chip pass, the control, the finish. The entire play showed tremendous class and skill…but it might have been an inch or two offsides (but hell…I’ll still take it!).   

The Rapids controlled the majority of play in the opening forty-five but failed to score any more goals.  In stoppage time Pappa broke on a counter attack and had Shkelzen Gashi open on the near side.  Pappa tried to release him on net but his pass was too close to Irwin who made sure Gashi had no real chance to shoot.

Toronto came out in the second half looking more determined to attack, which may have caught the Rapids off guard.  The resurgences nearly paid off in the 57^th minute when Giovinco took a free kick. The Italian struck the ball beautifully but Zac MacMath was more than equal to it, diving to his far corner and getting both hands to a ball that seemed destined for the top corner. 

Regrouping, it was Colorado who would get the next chance, this time off a corner.  Gashi swung in the ball to the near post where Dillon Powers ran to meet it.  In what looked like a replay of the DC United goal it seemed Powers was going to net his second goal in as many matches.  Unfortunately Powers guided header struck the far post and came out instead, leaving the game at 1-0 and Toronto still in it. Connor Doyle would make his Rapids debut (like three years late…thanks MLS!) and have a chance to double the score line in the 89^th minute after being played into the eighteen by none other than homegrown hero Dillon Serna.  Doyle was just a smidge to causal with the chance and had his effort blocked by a sliding defender. 

Giovinco would get one more free kick to equalize but sent it high, giving the Rapids all three points and picking up some momentum at home.  The game should have seen more goals, even the players admitted they allowed Toronto to hang in there, making the game more difficult then it needed to be.  With that said, the likes of Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Giovinco, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore have all come into Dicks Sporting Good Park, and they all left goalless.  Two clean sheets to start off at home, sounds pretty great to me.  Seemed Pablo was listening to those podcasts, starting Pappa was what got us this win, even if he can’t go the full 90.  We started fast and got three points.  Next week we play FSL in the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup. These are the best games of the year people!  Don’t miss it!  April 9^th at 7:30pm, the game will be broadcasted on Altitude. 

 Colorado Rapids: Zac MacMath, Eric Miller, Axel Sjoberg, Bobby Burling, Marc Burch, Micheal Azira (Dillon Serna 82’), Sam Cronin, Dillon Powers, Marco Pappa (Dominique Badji 61’), Shkelzen Gashi (Conor Doyle 73’), Luis Solignac.
Subs not used: Chris Froschauer, Zach Pfeffer.

Toronto FC: Clint Irwin, Steven Beitashour, Drew Moor, Damien Perquis (Ashtone Morgan 76’), Justin Morrow, Benoit Cheyrou, Michael Bradley, Will Johnson, Daniel Lovitz (Jonathan Osorio), Mo Babouti (Jozy Altidore 60’), Sebastian Giovinco.
Subs not used: Quillan Roberts, Josh Williams, Marco Delgado, Tsubasa Endoh.