COMMERCE CITY — A couple of weeks ago, Rapids coach Gary Smith suggested four victories in the team’s last 10 games would get them into the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Now they only need two, assuming his formula is accurate.
Forwards Omar Cummings and Conor Casey scored second-half goals against Western Conference bottom-dweller Chivas USA on Saturday night, and the backline produced another solid performance in Colorado’s second consecutive 3-0 victory.
The Rapids hadn’t scored three goals in back-to-back games since 2007. For a team that had trouble finding the target much of the season, it is a welcome trend.
“They found the back of the net last week and found that they liked it,” Smith said. “This week they’ve gone and done exactly the same.”
Cummings scored twice and Casey tallied his 38th goal in a Colorado uniform, putting him one behind Paul Bravo on the team’s all-time scoring list. Casey had a goal and two assists last week against Houston.
After a scoreless and frustrating first half, Cummings set up the first goal in the 52nd minute with a hard shot from the right wing that was mishandled by Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton. Casey tapped in the rebound for his ninth goal of the season.
“I just wanted to get the second half started on a good note, get some shots on target,” Cummings said. “My idea was, just make him save it. It worked and Conor got the rebound.”
Cummings got on the board in the 68th minute, outmaneuvering Chivas defender Ante Jazic and firing a shot under a diving Thornton that glanced off the far post. Cummings struck again in the 81st minute, scoring unassisted from close range on the left.
Even without defender Marvell Wynne, out with a hamstring injury after starting every other game this season, the Rapids’ defense was stout. Chivas had more yellow cards (two) than shots (one), giving Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens little to do.
“Matt made a wonderful save in the opening exchanges,” Smith said. “Other than that, they did not have a shot on goal. That’s a wonderful statistic at home, given that in the first period we weren’t at our best.”
The win moved Colorado into fourth place in the Western Conference. If the season ended today, six of the eight playoffs teams would come from the West.
“We’ve got to look above us,” Smith said. “We can’t just look at the teams below us. There’s a magic number that gets us in, (but) honestly I think the group’s better than just getting in. If we just scrape in, we might not have done ourselves a true justice.”
Chivas USA 0 0 — 0
Colorado 0 3 — 3
First half — None.
Second half — 1, Colorado, Casey 9, 52nd minute. 2, Colorado, Cummings 7 (Ballouchy), 68th. 3, Colorado, Cummings 8, 81st.
Goalies — Chivas USA, Zach Thornton; Colorado, Matt Pickens.
Yellow cards — Gordon, Chivas USA, 40th; Cuesta, Chivas USA, 61st.
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
