Rapids Outclass Whitecaps

OK, work, a fantasy football draft, and the USA Pro Challenge (more about that in a later post) have taken the time I'd usually use for my game recap this week, so this one is going to be shorter than usual.  Quite simply the Rapids looked like the better team, played like they knew they were the better team, and put up a scoreline that showed they were the better team Saturday night.  A 2-0 win over another playoff rival was huge.

Vicente Sanchez found Deshorn Brown who headed home his team leading 7th goal of the season in the first half.  Edson Buddle got a lucky skip just after coming into the game to double the lead late in the game.  On the other side of the ball the defense did a good job keeping the dangerous Whitecap forwards from getting good looks and the few times they did Clint Irwin came up with some big saves.  Colorado picked up an important 3 points in the playoff race and ran their unbeaten run to a team-record tying 9 games.

My key to the match was the newcomers getting integrated.  Torres struggled at times to get on the same page but Sanchez looked great.

Random Thoughts:

• The win and the loss by Seattle significantly helped our playoff chances.
• Brown's 7th goals leads all rookies.  The league record for a rookie is 11 by Damani Ralph which is probably out of reach by Brown unless he has a breakout game.  2nd best is 8 by Clint Dempsey though, and he could pass that.
• Hendry Thomas gutted out the end of the game with a tweaked hamstring, but got through it.  Looks like there was no long term damage.
• Vicente Sanchez' play is stunning me.  Not because he's that much better than anyone else, but given the Rapids track record of signing 30+ year old international strikers I wasn't expecting very much.  Torres will come on I'm sure, but int he short term Sanchez looks like the steal of the mid-season transfer window.
• Speaking of Torres, he had at least 2 great chances that he flubbed.  First game though and still getting used to the team and altitude.
• Klute and Wynne struggled a bit on the wings, but the forwards they faced int his game are some of the better ones in the league.
• Tip of the hat to the West side crowd, who unprompted took up the C38 tradition of booing an opposing player who's drawn the crowd's ire, in this case former Rapid Jordan Harvey.
• With the Rapids having next week off and with the USA Pro Challenge going on you'll probably see a break on Rapids posts here for a bit.  Of course if there's any Rapids news I'll have something to say. ;)

Player of the Match: Clint Irwin.  His saves kept us in the game when we needed a goal and kept the lead once we had one.