WASHINGTON D.C. (March 20, 2016) – In a frustrating Sunday afternoon that saw both sides have trouble creating and finishing chances, the Colorado Rapids drew D.C. United 1-1. Dillon Powers got his first goal of the 2016 season and Fabian Espindola scored for D.C.
Lack Of Finishing Rues Colorado Rapids Draw In D.C.
The match started with D.C. United on the front foot, keeping possession and trying to create chances. United high pressed the Rapids in ways no one had this season, giving Michael Azira and Sam Cronin trouble. The holding midfielders were under pressure and had little time on the ball to find teammates and make decisions. Wingers Chris Rolfe and Patrick Nyarko did well to get involved in the attack.
“I thought it was not the most attractive game of football,” said head coach Pablo Mastroeni after the match. “It was chippy, there wasn’t a lot of flow to the game. All things considered, we came away with a good point,” he added.
One of Colorado’s best chance of the half came in the 29th minute, when Marco Pappa found a streaking Cronin in the box. Cronin fired a cross across goal, but it was behind Kevin Doyle and Dominique Badji.
The half ended 0-0 with Powers and Jared Watts on yellow card cautions.
The game began to open up in the second half with both teams creating more chances but neither being able to finish. Powers tried to find Badji in the box in the 53rd minute, but goalkeeper Travis Worra did well to come off his line and bat the ball out of the box. Just three minutes later, Powers found full back Mekeil Williams, who crossed the ball to Kevin Doyle. Doyle just missed on the header and the ball went out for a goal kick.
Minutes later, substitute Fabian Espindola got a shot off after shaking Williams in the box, but the chance went out for a corner. Center back Steve Birnbaum narrowly scored on a chance off that corner.
The Rapids found their breakthrough in the 69th minute. The away side had won a corner, Pappa standing over the ball. the Guatemalan fired a cross just outside the 6-yard-box. Powers beat Birnbaum to it in the air and headed it into the net.
D.C. United picked up the tempo at home and down a goal. In the 80th minute, goalkeeper Zac MacMath misplayed a Taylor Kemp cross. The ball bounced around in the box and found Espindola in front of goal, who kicked it into the back of the net.
Colorado are 1-1-1 this season and there is reason for optimism: “These are results we couldn’t get in the last two years, because the mentality wasn’t good enough,” said Mastroeni adding that this was a game his side could have won but felt good to get a result.
The Rapids stayed compact in the final 10 minutes. United was unable to muster a final chance and the match ended 1-1. D.C. United host FC Dallas next week. The Colorado Rapids are off next week until April 2nd, when they host Sebastian Giovinco and Toronto FC.
