Weekend Roundup 9/20-9/21

Colorado Rapids - My game review is here. With the draw the Rapids move up to a tie with FSL for 3rd in the West, the last playoff spot. Based on the tiebreakers, if the season ended today the Rapids would be the final playoff team. They are 8 points behind leading Houston. Colorado has the 7th best offense and is in a tie with New York, KC, and Dallas for the 6th best defense.

Queen of the South - Queens hosted St Johnstone at Palmerston Park over the weekend. The game was end to end with plenty of chances, but int he first half the keepers were up to the challenge, stopping everything that came their way. The dam had to break at some point though, and it was a PK for the Doonhamers that did it. The lead didn't last long though as Jim Thomson put one past his own keeper to gift St. Johnstone a 1-1 draw. The teams traded goals again before the end of the match and both teams took home a point. After 7 games in Queens is 3rd, 3 points behind leaders Livingston.

Today QoS travelled to Falkirk to take on the SPL relegation leaders in a CIS Cup match. The Doonhamers showed up ready to play, but went down int he first half. They battled back to control the game in the second half and levelled the score, only to see the game slip away to a opposition goal against the run of play. Still Queens can hold their heads high, having fought an SPL team to the end on unfriendly turf.

Blackburn Rovers - The Rovers faced Fulham USA at Ewood Park looking for their first home win of the season and a way to get out of the relegation zone. What on paper seemed like an easier match turned out to be anything but as Blackburn had to fight of Fulham for the full 90 minutes. Finally in the 84th minute Matt Derbyshire, who had been in the match for less than 10 minutes, found a header from Roque Santa Cruz to put the Rovers on top 1-0 and give them their first home win of the season. It also got them out of the relegation zone and moved them all the way up to 10th, 5 points behind Arsenal.

CD Tenerife - It was an Alpha and Omega game for CDT as they went down to a 5th minute goal, only to tie it up int he 82nd minute. Local boy Angel got the goal and he's quickly becoming a super sub for his team with multiple late-game heroics. Tenerife is floating just outside the promotion zone with 7 points from 4 matches, just a point behind the league leaders.

Kildare County FC - For the first time in 4 months the Thoroughbreds got a home win this week. As a Rapids fan I've seen some bad runs of form but 4 months without a home win, ouch. County took the lead in the 21st minute and then needed a brick wall performance from their keeper to keep it. A bit of luck was on Kildare's side for this game, but they'll need that if they are going to avoid the drop. They are 2 points from safety with a game in hand and 9 games to play.