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Rain Wins; Rapids Tie Again
Conor Casey takes a try at the goal as rain pounded the players during the Colorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls 4th of July game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The game ended in a tie 1-1. (Photograph by Jessica Taves/coloradosoccernow.com)
On a sodden Fourth of July night, the fireworks were in short supply as the Colorado Rapids tied the visiting New York Red Bulls 1-1.
The Rapids took the lead on a perfect pass from Conor Casey to a hard charging Omar Cummings at the far post in the 15th minute. Marvell Wynne had started the break with a tight pass up the right sideline to Casey, who was just onside. Cummings met Casey’s pass at the edge of the six-yard box and snapped it in the goal past former teammate Bouna Coundoul.
The lead lasted only as long as Juan Pablo Angel was unmarked. In the 34th minute, marking failed on a corner kick, and Angel blistered the net with his ninth goal of the season off a ball from Sinisa Ubiparipovic.
As the rain worsened in the second half, going from annoying splatters to torrential flooding, the Rapids got the better of play.
Mehdi Ballouchy, who had a goal disallowed in the first half, blasted a shot against the bar from outside the penalty area in the 68th minute. In the 76th minute, Colin Clark cut inside from the left and fired a shot from the edge of the penalty box that veered past the far post. Casey nearly flicked a header in two minutes later.
None of the efforts were enough as the teams split the points. The Rapids moved to 6-3-4 (22 points) and remained in third place in the Western Conference. New York sits at 8-5-1 (25 points), which is enough to remain two points behind the Columbus Crew for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dubious Mark: With the tie, the Rapids continued a six game unbeaten streak. While that sounds fantastic, the team is also winless in three straight with a series of draws, two since the MLS returned from a two-week break for the World Cup.
Kosuke Returns: The July 4 game marked the return to action for Kosuke Kimura. The defender entered the game in the 54th minute in his first action since May 4. Kimura suffered a stress fracture in his ankle while warming up before the LA Galaxy match.
Rapids 11: Matt Pickens, Wynne, Drew Moor, Scott Palguta (Kimura 54th), Danny Earls, Pablo Mastroeni, Ballouchy (Wells Thompson 77th), Jeff Larentowicz, Jamie Smith (Clark 65th), Cummings, Casey.
New York 11: Coundoul, Chris Albright, Carlos Mendes, Tim Ream, Danleigh Borman, Dane Richards, Seth Stammler, Tony Tchani (Salou Imbrahim 68th), Ubiparipovic (Mike Petke, 89th), Angel (Roy Miller, 84th), Joel Lindpere.
Colorado Rapids Omar Cummings (center), New York Red Bulls Seth Stammler (left), and Tim Ream (right) have their eye on the ball as the rain pounded the players during the 2010, 4th of July game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The game ended in a tie 1-1. (Photograph by Jessica Taves/coloradosoccernow.com)
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