COMMERCE CITY — The tooth fairy exchanged Conor Casey’s left wisdom tooth for a game-winning goal Saturday.
Pained to the point of sickness, Casey had his infected tooth pulled Monday, effectively pulling him out of the U.S. national team camp and putting his status for Saturday’s Major League Soccer game against Toronto FC up in the air.
Good thing Casey owns the air. He rammed home his MLS-leading 12th goal of the season on a beautiful cross by Jacob Peterson in the 51st minute as the Rapids earned a 1-0 win at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
“I feel a little out of it, you know?” Casey said. “Today helps.”
Casey punished the team that dealt him and his worrisome knees to Colorado and kept the Rapids (10-7-6) well above water in the playoff hunt. Without suspended captain Pablo Mastroeni, the Rapids were workmanlike, disciplined, calm and controlled the majority of play against the Reds (8-9-7). The Rapids were not overly dangerous or creative, but they were lethal when needed.
“We were looking for an inspirational moment,” Rapids coach Gary Smith said.
With Reds defender Emmanuel Gomez following Omar Cummings into the corner, Peterson had a great look as the ball was laid back to him, and he snapped a fast and curving ball right atop the 6-yard box. Casey had ample room to leap up and power the ball into the lower corner, past helpless Reds keeper Stefan Frei.
“Conor still had a lot to do,” Peterson said. “All credit to him.”
A worthy goal at any moment, it should have been Casey’s second of the night. After Gomez clumsily handled Cummings’ header in the penalty area, Casey took the subsequent penalty kick in the 25th minute, only to careen his shot harmlessly off the crossbar.
Center back Drew Moor, swapped last week for Ugo Ihemelu by FC Dallas, had a comfortable debut alongside the equally verbose Julien Baudet, who won just about every important aerial challenge.
“Julien and I told each other before the game we wanted to punch each other in the face by the end of the game because we’re so sick of each other talking,” Moor said. “It’s so important. It keeps yourself in it, it keeps your teammates in it for 90 minutes.”
The Reds were reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute when Amadou Sanyang picked up his second yellow card and to nine men nine minutes later on Adrian Serioux’s red card.
Toronto FC 0 0 — 0
Colorado 0 1 — 1 First half — None. Second half — 1, Colorado, Casey 12 (Peterson, Cummings), 51st minute.
Goalies — Toronto FC, Stefan Frei; Colorado, Matt Pickens. Yellow cards — Sanyang, Toronto FC, 21st; Holody, Colorado, 84th. Red cards — Sanyang, Toronto FC, 76th; Serioux, Toronto FC, 85th. A — 10,821 (18,086).
