By Brian Jennings

Colorado’s home opener was not pretty for the first 45 minutes as both sides were limited to what coaches often call “half chances” leading to a 0-0 halftime score.  However, Omar Cummings hit his second goal in as many games, while second half substitute Terry Cooke provided an instant spark and had a hand in both Rapids goals to give the home side the 2-1 victory in Commerce City Saturday night.

Colorado came out of the gate fast with a dangerous corner-kick in the 5th minute.  The ball fell to a trio of Rapids players in front of goal, but Ugo Ihemelu’s shot out of the scrum didn’t find net.  Much of Colorado’s play was over-the-top balls in the first 20 minutes before the pace slowed for the remainder of the first half. 

Kansas City Head Coach Curt Onalfo said, “We worked on making sure we had good defensive shape, we wanted them to make the game and I think as you saw in the first half them get pretty frustrated.  We wanted to make it hard on them defensively which we did.” 

That’s not to say both sides didn’t have opportunities to score in the first 45 minutes.  Kansas City’s Claudio Lopez got inside and behind Colorado’s Kosuke Kimura twice with through balls finding him on goal.  However, Rapids keeper Matt Pickens was there to stuff the shots.

“Johnny Leathers put a beautiful ball in-header (by Lopez)-he had another breakaway option.  Then in the second half, same thing,” noted Onalfo on the looks Lopez was getting.  “We feel that when Claudio plays high up the field is a constant threat in behind defenses.  He’s constantly forcing that line.  I thought he had a good performance and with a little luck he could have scored a goal tonight.”

The second half made up for a lackluster first frame as KC saw Lopez break free almost immediately down the middle, however Pickens again denied the point-blank shot preserving the scoreline. 

This seemed to energize Rapids somewhat as Conor Casey had a very tough angled header deflect off the crossbar in the 51st minute.  Colorado had their best chance so far just 3 minutes later as Colin Clarke carried the ball down the right side before dropping for defender Jordan Harvey.  The unlikely offensive Harvey made 2 cutback moves inside the box before whistling a shot inches wide.

Fan favorite Terry Cooke entered the game in the 64th minute and immediately paid dividends-literally.  After Clarke was fouled just outside the box resulting in a freekick, Cooke checked in during the deadball, lined up with Mehdi Ballouchy over the kick, then proceeded to drill a Beckham-esque shot into the near post upper corner for the 1-0 lead.

When asked if he was apprehensive to take the kick being he had just come on, Cooke replied, “The gaffer asked me if I wanted to take it but I wasn’t sure since I wasn’t warmed up.”  Cooke said he told Ballouchy to take the kick but as the wall was being set Cooke was given the nod.  “I told Mehdi he was taking the kick.  He just looked at me and said ‘you want to take it?’ so I did.”

Kansas City hung tough as an unlikely source knotted the score at 1-1 just 5 minutes later.  Seldom used forward Michael Kraus, whose parents were in the crowd, started an early run on a high ball played back to Colorado’s Cory Gibbs.  The ball got past Gibbs where Kraus caught it in stride to goal.  What looked an odd misplay was really due to the lighting noted Gibbs. “Honestly, I lost the ball in the floodlights.  It happened in the first half too.”  Kraus chipped over Pickens off the underside of the crossbar and into goal.

Cooke, who added a much needed provider dimension, started off the game-winning sequence in the 74th minute.  The Englishman sent a pinpoint low pass cross field to an in-stride Clarke on the left.  He found Cummings in middle space where the Jamaican international coolly touched forward and beat Wizards keeper Kevin Hartman low to the left to go ahead 2-1.

The match finished up with Cooke and Casey putting together two near-miss opportunities.  The final chance-Kansas City’s best- was a corner-kick in stoppage time.  The ball ended up at the head of Aaron Hohlbein, whose shot went just high as the final whistle sounded.

“You look at the goals, they scored off a well struck free kick and then we concede a goal off our corner kick.  Those kinds of things can’t happen.  Our guys gotta learn and learn darn quick”, lamented Onalfo. “We created enough chances on the road to win the game, or at least to walk out of here with a tie so I’m extremely disappointed.” 

Colorado Peak Performers:

Matt Pickens-If not for his saves on Kansas City’s Claudio Lopez, both Rapids goals were moot points.  Consistently in perfect position for saves and controlled set pieces in front of his goal.

Terry Cooke-Much needed jolt to the attack, but also a calm presence who sees the whole field and makes his teammates better.

Omar Cummings-Good work rate along with Casey up front getting just enough touch on tough 50/50 balls to keep possession.  Showed a bitter cool finish on game-winner leading one coach to mention him having “ice in his veins.”