Last season, Saturday’s 2-2 draw with FC Dallas would have given the Rapids plenty of positives to spin.
The Rapids were down 2-0 after 25 minutes and fought back to tie the game by halftime before a sparse crowd at Invesco Field at Mile High, generously listed at 8,160.
Fernando Clavijo’s players were not out-possessed by the FC Dallas midfield and were clearly the more dangerous team in the second half as they pushed for the game-winner.
What a difference a season makes. Or, at least, a season following a trip to the Major League Soccer’s Western Conference final.
“This seems like a loss,” Clavijo said after emphasizing how his expectations have changed. “We should have done better. We gave up two early goals unnecessarily.”
The Rapids (1-1-1) earned the consolation point but extended their winless streak against FC Dallas (2-0-1) to five games, including three ties. Not surprisingly, when these teams met in the playoffs last season, they had to break a 2-2 tie on penalty kicks.
Greg Vanney put the visitors ahead in the fifth minute with a crackling 25-yard free kick, and Roberto Mina made it 2-0 with a blistering shot off the crossbar from 30 yards.
Jovan Kirovski scored his third goal in as many games for the Rapids with a penalty kick in the 39th minute, and FC Dallas defender Clarence Goodson capped a bizarre performance when he bungled a Terry Cooke pass into his own net to tie the game.
Goodson, the Hoops’ top draft pick in 2004, gave up Kirovski’s penalty kick when he carelessly handled the ball in the 18-yard box. The University of Maryland product then had his goal in the 44th minute waved off for a foul before his own goal.
Colorado rode the momentum in the second half but could not produce more than a few half chances as the Hoops dropped their midfield and ate up the real estate. Rapids goalie Joe Cannon finished with no saves.
“We knew, the way they play, they’d come in here and defend,” Kirovski said. “They don’t even try to go forward. I mean, they’re a boring team coming out here.”
Referee Michael Kennedy dealt eight yellow cards and even made Kyle Beckerman shake hands with Mark Wilson after the two got into a scrap in the 53rd minute.
Clint Mathis and Dedi Ben-Dayan came on in the second half after missing last week’s game because of injuries. Mathis nearly scored with a long drive in the 66th minute, and Goodson poked the ball away from Ben-Dayan to deny a close-range shot in the 87th.
Pablo Mastroeni replaced Mike Petke (flu-like symptoms) in the central defense, the only change Clavijo made to the lineup that beat Columbus 3-1 last week.
FC Dallas 2 0 – 2
Colorado 2 0 – 2
First half – FC Dallas: Vanney (free kick), 5th minute; Mina (unassisted), 25th; Colorado: Kirovski (penalty kick), 39th; Goodson (own goal), 45th+.
Second half – None.
Goalies – FC Dallas (Sala); Colorado (Cannon).
Yellow cards – Goodson, FC Dallas, 6th minute; Valakari, FC Dallas, 27th; Alvarez, FC Dallas, 32nd; Freeman, Colorado, 32nd; Hernandez, Colorado, 55th; Rhine, FC Dallas, 57th; Sala, FC Dallas, 82nd; Thompson, FC Dallas, 83rd;
A – 8,160.
