Article Contributed on: 9/4/2007 2:12:50 PM
Columbus, Ohio (Sunday, September 2, 2007)- Thanks to a Conor Casey goal, the Colorado Rapids came from behind to tie the Columbus Crew 1-1 on the road in an important match between the two playoff hopefuls.
The two teams remain tied for the final MLS playoff spot, but the Rapids own the tiebreaker due to their better goal differential.
Casey had the first opportunity of the game in the eighth minute. The Denver South product flicked the ball to himself over defender Frankie Hejduk and uncorked a shot from the top of the penalty area that Will Hesmer had no choice but to knock out for a corner kick.
Eddie Gaven got behind the Rapids defense in the 13th minute and attempted to flick the ball over Bouna Coundoul but the shot went over the crossbar.
In the 18th minute Colin Clark took a pass from Jovan Kirovski and sped through the penalty area where he was upended by Hesmer. Referee Tim Wayland judged the ball too far from the Fort Collins native to award a penalty kick.
Casey had another opportunity in the 20th minute. Mike Petke sprung him behind the defense but his shot traveled wide of the Crew goal.
Columbus opened the scoring in first half stoppage time when Gaven snuck past the Rapids defense, received a pass from Stefani Miglioranzi, and put his shot under an onrushing Bouna Coundoul. The goal was the first Coundoul and the defense had given up in 374 minutes of action.
Coundoul did extremely well to deflect a Jacob Thomas shot in the 67th minute. Alejandro Moreno hit the goal post on a break away and just when Thomas thought he had a wide open net, Coundoul came across to get a piece of the shot.
Mehdi Ballouchy had another scoring opportunity for the Rapids in the 75th minute. A Kirovski free kick bounced out to the Moroccan who caught the ball as it fell but his shot was deflected and Facundo Erpen was just too far away to knock it in.
The Crew was lucky not to have given up a penalty in the 80th minute. Ballouchy sent in a left-footed cross and Hejduk gave Jacob Peterson a two-handed shove in the back at the top of the goal box. The U.S. National team player got away with it as Weyland looked the other way.
Colorado got their equalizer in the 84th minute. Substitute Herculez Gomez lofted a ball to Ballouchy. The former Colorado Rapids U-23 player then picked out Casey who headed home for his second goal of the season.
The Rapids remain on the road as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center on Saturday, Sept. 8 in an 8:30 p.m. MT kickoff. The game will be broadcast exclusively by Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports Espanol.
Scoring Summary:
CLB - Gaven (Miglioranzi) 46+
COL - Casey (Ballouchy, Gomez) 84