COMMERCE CITY — The Rapids have scored some pretty goals this season, but arguably the best came from Drew Moor last week against Columbus.
It was a great goal, and a timely one. The Rapids were playing a man down, thanks to Pablo Mastroeni’s red card, and probably would have been happy to salvage a scoreless draw at home against one of the top teams in MLS.
But in the 85th minute, Moor’s lunging, diving, twisting header at the end of a Jamie Smith free kick gave Colorado its third consecutive 1-0 victory. A center back, Moor leaped up and over his marker’s shoulder, nodded the ball down and inside the near post, flipped in the air and landed on his back.
“I was able to get up and over him and fortunately get it down and on target, which is all I was trying to do at that point,” Moor recalled. “I didn’t know where it was going to go. Fortunately it took a nice skip off the grass.”
Since being acquired by the Rapids last August in a trade with Dallas, Moor has become a key member of the Colorado back line. Rapids coach Gary Smith says he might be Colorado’s most reliable defender.
“He is the consummate professional,” Smith said. “Works hard every day, looks after himself, his form is so even-keeled. There’s no peaks and troughs. He’s just been a wonderful addition, not only on the pitch but off it as well.”
Moor wasn’t happy with the trade at the time, because he grew up in Dallas and loved playing in his hometown.
“It was a tough move at first, having played at home for almost five years, which was great,” Moor said. “But pretty much from Day One, I’ve felt like I’ve fit in real well (here). It’s a great locker room, it’s a great coaching staff, it’s an organization that just seems to be moving in the right direction.
“It’s been a little bit of a rebirth of my career. Fresh light, a new city, a new team.”
Taking a break.
The Rapids go into the World Cup hiatus with the fifth-best point total in the league.
“The players I think now are believing a lot more in what they can achieve,” Smith said. “With a third of the season gone, I think there’ll be a lot more belief that we can achieve what we haven’t done for the last three years — to make that postseason. There’s still plenty of work to do, but the group is stronger, certainly more competitive.”
Kudos for Pickens.
Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens deserves a bow. He has conceded only two goals this season in open play, and one (at San Jose) probably should have been called offside. The other goals against Colorado have come in dead-ball situations.
Pickens has the league’s second-best goals-against average (.82) with four shutouts.
“He’s been instrumental in keeping those clean sheets,” Smith said, “and making life more difficult for opponents.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
