Terry Cooke was fittingly dressed Thursday night in a retro Devo T-shirt.
The band made famous the song “Whip It,” an appropriate theme for the Rapids, who walked away from a 3-3 Major League Soccer draw against Chivas USA feeling a bit flogged, at their own hand and that of referee Andrew Chapin.
The Rapids reverted to early-season tendencies against their second-year opponent, killing off good buildups with errant passes and struggling for energy in front of 28,215 fans at Invesco Field at Mile High. Mike Petke was also ejected for a questionable foul in the second half.
But as frustrating as it all was, Colorado still managed to avoid defeat when karma paid a last-gasp visit.
Rookie Jacob Peterson bumbled home Cooke’s cross in stoppage time to cancel out Jonathan Bornstein’s go-ahead goal just minutes before to give the Rapids (7-6-4) a result that was only satisfying with the right spin applied.
“It shows the great character this team has,” said Cooke, who notched two assists and now leads MLS with 10. “Last year, we would have probably lost that game.”
Chivas USA (6-6-7) scored in the ninth minute before the Rapids answered immediately with a goal from Dedi Ben-Dayan and went ahead in the 67th on Clint Mathis’ second goal of the season. Petke got his marching papers two minutes later for colliding with Francisco Mendoza.
Bornstein struck twice, in the 74th and early in stoppage time, to put the visitors up before Peterson scored his second goal of the season to make it 3-3.
“We lost the ball in critical areas,” said Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo, who also blamed Chapin’s red card. “We get the numbers going forward and they make us pay. They counterattack us well and they have quality players. Every time they had opportunities, they put them away.”
Said Mathis: “We need to be able to know that if we go up by a goal that the game is over, no questions asked.”
The Rapids gave up the first goal Thursday for the 11th time in 17 games this season. Colorado’s defense tried to pull up and trap, but Bornstein, who was moved into the attack in place of suspended leading scorer Ante Razov, streaked past Eric Denton and was free on goal.
Joe Cannon came off his line and blocked Bornstein’s shot at the top of the penalty area but was helpless to stop Juan Francisco Palencia from chipping home the rebound for his fourth goal of the season.
Ben-Dayan notched his fifth goal in five games against Chivas USA when he beat goalie Preston Burpo in the 10th minute.
CD Chivas USA 1 2 – 3
Colorado 1 2 – 3
First half – 1, CD Chivas USA, Palencia 4, 9th minute. 2, Colorado, Ben-Dayan 4 (Kirovski, Beckerman), 10th. Second half – 3, Colorado, Mathis 2 (Cooke, Gargan), 67th. 4, CD Chivas USA, Bornstein 2, 74th. 5, CD Chivas USA, Bornstein 3 (Vaughn), 91st+. 6, Colorado, Peterson 2 (Cooke), 93rd+. Goalies – CD Chivas USA, Burpo; Colorado, Cannon. A – 28,215 (27,000).
