COMMERCE CITY — Consistency has paired up with the Rapids this season about as nicely as a fanny pack with formal wear.
The Rapids are, however, downright nasty when drawing first blood.
In a season in which it appeared they were trying to dig themselves into obscurity, the Rapids lurched back into relevancy Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park with an early goal and a quick encore.
With a 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire, the Rapids (9-12-3) improved to 9-0-1 this season when scoring first and are tied with Chivas USA for the Western Conference’s third and final automatic playoff berth.
Interim coach Gary Smith praised his team’s compact style and clinical approach to the scoring chances it generated against the stingy Fire (11-8-5).
“It just adds to that belief that we can actually turn the tables and maybe cause a little bit of an upset,” Smith said.
An own goal off a hard cross by defender Jordan Harvey in the 30th minute and Omar Cummings’ low drive inside the near post seven minutes later earned the Rapids consecutive wins for the first time since September 2007 and extended Chicago’s winless streak in Colorado to 10 games.
Colorado did it with a blue-collar effort from top to bottom. The Rapids were patient, deliberate with their build up, attacked with purpose and numbers and were quick to recover their shape and limit the Fire any chances until the final minutes.
“By far, I think we had the upper hand,” defender Cory Gibbs said. “We went out and stuck with the game plan.”
Goalkeeper Preston Burpo stood tall in stoppage time to make two big saves to earn his third shutout of the season.
The crowd of 14,214 cheered Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco every time the Mexican international was on the ball but reserved their biggest outbursts for both goals. Pablo Mastroeni was particularly sharp and credited it to renewing his battle with the mercurial Blanco.
“I see him running down and I have to close 50 yards to do it, for someone else I probably wouldn’t even do it . . . but there’s something about Blanco,” Mastroeni said. “It’s that battle, the Mexican-American battle.”
Harvey, who along with right back Kosuke Kimura drew special praise from Smith, broke the deadlock when he ran onto a pass by Gibbs deep in the penalty area. Harvey hammered a cross that hit keeper Jon Busch in the hands and slipped in.
Cummings earned the vital cushion with a great strike that Smith admitted took him by surprise. It was the kind of finish the Jamaican wouldn’t have managed earlier this season.
“I would say that,” Cummings said. “I guess I’m more confident the latter part of the season — not just me, but I think the whole team.”
Chicago 0 0 — 0
Colorado 2 0 — 2
First half — 1, Colorado, Harvey (Busch own goal), 30th minute. 2, Colorado, Cummings 5 (Cooke), 37th.
Second half — None.
Goalies — Chicago, Busch; Colorado, Burpo.
A — 14,214.
