The Colorado Rapids needed a victory at home on Saturday night to create some breathing room between them and the teams chasing the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Not only did they secure that victory, they registered the type of jaw-dropping performance that just might propel them beyond simply being a team that makes the playoffs.
A four-goal first-half blitz, led by rookies Deshorn Brown and Dillon Powers, helped lead the Rapids to a 5-1 thrashing of the Seattle Sounders at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.
The Rapids needed just 15 seconds to jump all over the Sounders, with Brown scoring the first of two goals on the night. That fast opener was the second-fastest goal scored in MLS history, second only to an 11-second goal from Dwayne DeRosario in 2003.
Before Seattle could recover, Powers made it 2-0 in the 10th minute. Then Brown abused fellow Rookie of the Year candidate DeAndre Yedlin on his way to scoring his second goal. Drew Moor added a fourth before halftime to complete the dominating first 45 minutes of action.
Seattle improved in the second half, and pulled one back courtesy of an Eddie Johnson goal, but that’s as close as the Sounders got, with Gabriel Torres scoring his first goal for the Rapids late in the match to provide the final tally on a dream night for a Rapids side that suddenly looks like a team nobody wants to deal with in the playoffs.
The victory moved Colorado into fourth place in the West, three points ahead of the LA Galaxy, who face Chivas USA on Sunday. The loss, coupled with Real Salt Lake’s tie vs. FC Dallas on Saturday, dropped Seattle to second place in the West, and keeps them two points behind the New York Red Bulls in the race for the Supporters Shield.
Here are the match highlights:
http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=1217310cfc944c6abc338a459554666&ec=85cWdnZjrdGJ99eoAk896DGQb4XCRM-h
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What did you think of the match? See the Rapids being a real threat in the playoffs? See Brown or Powers winning Rookie of the Year? Think Seattle will rebound from this ugly loss?
Share your thoughts below.