Colorado Remains Unbeaten in Home Openers at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. (Saturday, March 28, 2009) – The Colorado Rapids moved to a perfect 3-0 all-time in home openers at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park following a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night. Omar Cummings’ game winner in the 74th minute lifted the Rapids to their first win of the 2009 season.

Both team battled through the first half with neither side taking control of the match. The two sides were equal with two shots on goal apiece with both ‘keepers recording two saves through the first 45 minutes of play, as the score remained locked at 0-0 at the half.

With his second save right before the break, Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman became Major League Soccer’s all-time save leader with 1,137.

In the second half, Kansas City’s Jonathan Leathers committed a yellow card foul just outside of the box which would set up the game’s first score.

Rapids head coach Gary Smith seized the opportunity and inserted Terry Cooke into the lineup to take the free kick. Cooke didn’t disappoint and buried his shot into the upper left corner of the net putting Colorado up 1-0.

The Wizards would even the score on a ball that slipped through the Rapids’ defense to Michael Kraus, who scored off the cross bar over Matt Pickens in the 69th minute.

The Rapids would find their game winner in the 74th minute as Terry Cooke played a beautiful counter attack ball up the left side to Colin Clark. Clark would push the ball ahead in transition and feed a streaking Cummings down the middle of the pitch catching the K.C. defense out of sync. Cumming then tallied his second goal of the year with a shot in the lower left corner just out the reach of Hartman.

The Rapids hit the road for the next three weeks starting with a match-up against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, April 4 at The Home Depot Center at 8:30 pm MT.

Scoring Summary:
COL- Cooke (unassisted) 65
KC- Kraus (unassisted) 69
COL- Cummings (Clark) 74