COLORADO RAPIDS vs FC DALLAS
DICK’S SPORTING GOODS PARK, Commerce City, Colo.
Oct. 18, 2014 (WEEK 32, MLS Game #308)
1 p.m. MT (NBCSN)
The Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas will meet for the third time this season in a match with real playoff implications as the clubs face off Saturday evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids come into the match looking to put an end to their 12-game winless streak, extended last weekend in a 2-1 loss at Chivas USA. FC Dallas still have third place in the Western Conference in their sights, coming off a 2-1 home win against the LA Galaxy last Sunday.
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REFEREE: Hilario Grajeda. SAR (bench): Frank Anderson; JAR (opposite): Bill Dittmar; 4th: Daniel Radford
Grajeda's MLS Career: 118 games; FC/gm: 24.3; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 19; pens: 19
SUSPENDED: DAL -- Moises Hernandez (through Oct. 19)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: COL -- Nick LaBrocca … DAL -- Je-Vaughn Watson
FINED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: COL -- Carlos Alvarez, Marc Burch, Thomas Piermayr, Jose Mari … DAL -- Fabian Castillo, Matt Hedges, Blas Perez, Adam Moffat, Michel, Victor Ulloa
DISABLED LIST: DAL -- Hendry Thomas (season-ending injury)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
WATCH FCD vs COLORADO AT OUR OCTOBER PARTY AT THE PUBS
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (61 meetings): Rapids 20 wins (1 shootout), 76 goals … FC Dallas 30 wins (2 shootout), 102 goals …Ties 11
AT COLORADO (29 meetings): Rapids 14 wins (0 shootout), 43 goals … FC Dallas 8 wins (0 shootout), 40 goals … Ties 7
2014 (MLS)
6/7: DAL 3, COL 2 (Escobar 33; Loyd 47+; Castillo 62 – Brown 25; Martin 52)
8/9: DAL 3, COL 1 (Hedges 9; Michel 11; Castillo 55 – Torres 86)
- The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Fabian Castillo scored midway through the second half to seal a 3-1 FC Dallas victory Aug. 9 at Toyota Stadium; on June 7 in Frisco, Castillo scored a brilliant goal to snap a tie midway through the second half and give FCD a 3-2 victory.
- In 2012, FC Dallas won at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for the first time since 2007. FC Dallas have won four consecutive home games vs. Colorado.
- The teams did meet in MLS Cup 2010 in Toronto, an own goal in extra time giving the Rapids a 2-1 victory and their first league title.
- Coaches record: Pablo Mastroeni v DAL: P2 W0 L2 D0 … Oscar Pareja vs. COL: P2 W2 L0 D0
LAST MEETING (MLS)
- FC Dallas took the lead with two goals in the first 11 minutes. The opener came in the ninth minute, when a corner was cleared but FCD maintained possession. Michel put in a cross from the right that Walker Zimmerman nodded goalward. The ball bounced off the hands of Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin and center back Matt Hedges pounced to put away the rebound.
- A minute later, Colorado defender Marvell Wynne was adjudged to have fouled Dallas forward Tesho Akindele in the corner of the Rapids penalty area by referee Jose Carlos Rivero, and Michel duly converted the resulting spot kick to make it 2-0.
- FC Dallas put the game away in the 56th minute as Michel again played provider, putting in a cross near the Colorado penalty spot. The ball slipped through to an onrushing Fabian Castillo from the right wing, and he finished crisply for the third FCD goal.
- The Rapids pulled a goal back after FCD's Je-Vaughn Watson made contact with Gabriel Torres as he was going towards goal near the endline, and Rivero again pointed to the spot. Torres converted the penalty in the 86th minute to complete the scoring.
- FC DALLAS (4-2-3-1): Raul Fernandez - Je-Vaughn Watson, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Hedges, Zach Loyd - Victor Ulloa, Michel - Andres Escobar, Mauro Diaz (Blas Perez 54), Fabian Castillo (Adam Moffat 60) - Tesho Akindele (David Texeira 75).
- COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): Clint Irwin - Christopher Klute, Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne, Marc Burch – Nick LaBrocca, Jose Mari - Vicente Sanchez (Dillon Serna 77), Dillon Powers, Carlos Alvarez (Gabriel Torres 69) - Deshorn Brown (Edson Buddle 66).
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids had their winless streak extended to 12 matches, falling 2-1 to Chivas USA on Saturday evening at StubHub Center. The Rapids are in seventh place in the Western Conference with 32 points from 32 games.
LAST MATCH
- The Rapids took the lead in the 30th minute. Charles Eloundou sped past a defender on the left and played a pass to a streaking John Neeskens on the overlap in the penalty area, and he beat Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy with a low shot inside the near post.
- But Chivas USA were level midway through the second half. Just moments after taking the pitch as a substitute in the 64th minute, rookie forward Kristopher Tyrpak unleashed a dizzying run through a group of Colorado defenders and capped the individual effort by beating Colorado 'keeper Clint Irwin from point-blank range for the equalizer, his first career MLS goal.
- The game-winner came in the 85th minute. A centering pass from Akira Kaji on the right sneaked past Irwin and Borja was there to head home from close range to seal the victory.
- Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni made seven changes to the team that fell 4-1 to Seattle Sounders FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Only fullback Marc Burch and midfielder Nick LaBrocca, Jose Mari and Dillon Powers kept their places.
- COLORADO RAPIDS (4-4-2): Clint Irwin - Thomas Piermayr (Marvell Wynne 18), Zat Knight, Jared Watts, Marc Burch - Carlos Alvarez (Kamani Hill 72), Nick LaBrocca, Jose Mari, John Neeskens - Dillon Powers (Edson Buddle 82), Charles Eloundou.
TEAM NEWS
- The Rapids had their winless streak extended to 12 games in losing a second consecutive match, a club record. Their last win came July 25, the 3-0 victory vs. Chivas USA.
- “There were good combination plays, we were dangerous, and we had a lot of good opportunities,” head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “I think we spent a lot of that energy trying to create those chances, and not being able to capitalize on them, I think in the end it was the worse out of it.”
- John Neeskens made his second MLS start, his first coming back on June 4, and his third career league appearance. He scored his first goal, playing 90 minutes for the first time.
- “There was a lot of bright performances out there, having [Jared] Watts out there, I think he did really well. John Neeskens and Charles [Eloundou] created a lot of great things and these guys coming back in the lineup, I thought brought a bit of life and injected a sense of belief, but in the end, it wasn’t enough,” Mastroeni said.
- Charles Eloundou made his first start since June 4, his first as an out-and-out forward, and contributed his first MLS assist.
- “Like I’ve said all year, we have a young group, a group that has to gain experience and unfortunately the only way to do that is through hardships. I think we keep preaching hard work and making sure we’re playing a right brand and getting after it and making sure we’re better defensively, which I thought we were,” said Mastroeni “The future for this team is bright. It’s hard to see that, but being with these guys for the last 10 months, I’ve seen some great strides and creating a name for themselves and more importantly, getting better with each passing day.”
- Zat Knight made his first MLS start, in central defense, after coming on as a halftime substitute against Seattle for his league and Rapids debut. Jared Watts partnered Knight in central defense, making his first start since Aug. 20.
- “Very sloppy goals. Two easy goals,” Knight said. “Not much left from concentration and tiredness. I thought I was at fault for the making one of the goals, [Felix Borja] just got in front of me. Two sloppy goals and we need to do better as a team, as a defense as well.”
- Thomas Piermayr returned to the starting lineup for the first time in three matches, but was forced off with an injury after just 18 minutes.
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas extended their club-record home winning streak, defeating the LA Galaxy 2-1 on Sunday evening at Toyota Stadium and securing their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs. FC Dallas sit in fourth place in the Western Conference with 51 points from 32 games.
LAST MATCH
- The Galaxy took the lead midway through the first half. Galaxy midfielder Stefan Ishizaki ended up with the ball all by himself on the right side of the FCD penalty area from a half-clearance, and he put a weighted chip softly into the far corner, freezing goalkeeper Chris Seitz for the 22nd-minute opener.
- FC Dallas pulled even in the 52nd minute. Andres Escobar put David Texeira through alone behind the LA defense, and he finished the chance well with a first-time shot past Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.
- The game winner came four minutes from time. After collecting a free ball, Escobar shot from the right side of the Galaxy penalty area, forcing a save from Penedo. But the softly punched clearance went straight to FCD forward Fabian Castillo, and he headed the ball into the open net.
- FCD head coach Oscar Pareja made four changes to the team that fell 2-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. Chris Seitz came in between the posts, Walker Zimmerman came into the back four, Fabian Castillo started in midfield and Tesho Akindele came in up top, replacing Raul Fernandez, Je-Vaughn Watson, Ryan Hollingshead and Blas Perez.
- FC DALLAS (4-4-2): Chris Seitz - Zach Loyd, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Hedges, Moises Hernandez (ejected 89) - Andres Escobar (Ryan Hollingshead 90), Victor Ulloa, Michel (Adam Moffat 69), Fabian Castillo - Tesho Akindele (Je-Vaughn Watson 80), David Texeira.
TEAM NEWS
- FC Dallas extended their club-record home winning streak to eight games, a streak that began June 7 with a 3-2 win against Colorado. With the victory, FC Dallas assured their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011.
- “I thought we deserved the playoffs, and it’s great to bring the playoffs back to Frisco,” said head coach Oscar Pareja. “It’s well deserved for the whole community.” Added center back Matt Hedges: “The fans were out in full force and we want to reward them. To be able to get into the playoffs in front of a crowd like that was fantastic.”
- David Texeira scored his third goal over the last three matches, making a third consecutive start on the front line.
- “It is good. I feel good to be able to score for me, for the team, for everyone here at FC Dallas,” Texeira said. “I am happy to be here. Everyone supports me a lot, even in the low moments. When I first got here, I did not play a lot, but now I am gaining confidence at the most important time, when playoffs get here.”
- Fabian Castillo scored his 10th goal of the season, his first since Aug. 22. Castillo’s 10 goals, in 25 games, matches his career total that he scored over his first three MLS seasons (in 80 appearances). Castillo returned to the lineup following a three-match absence.
- “He's had a tremendous season so far and we have to make everyone understand that it's not just his speed, but his commitment to work for the team,” said Pareja. “Fabian is gaining respect from his teammates in that regard. He's a team player now, more than before, and the game is rewarding him. I'm happy for him, but he knows that every day I raise the bar.”
- Said defender Zach Loyd: “It was awesome. Everyone could see how much we miss him. Just being on the field he is a huge threat. He draws two, three guys and gets other guys open. It was fitting – the story of his season to get that goal. I’m excited for him and the progress he has shown over the last two or three years.”
- Andres Escobar collected his fourth assist of the season – all over the last four matches. Escobar has played a part in four of FCD’s last six goals.
- “Everyone knows that he is a skilled player,” said Texeira. “With his skill, when he has the ball one-on-one with a defender, I expect that he will beat them. I focus on that. He will get the ball. He will send in the cross. He will assist me.”
- Walker Zimmerman made his first start since Aug. 9, coming into central defense and playing the full 90 minutes.
- “It’s great to have him back in the lineup,” said veteran defender Zach Loyd. “Tonight just showed his quality as a player. It shows his quality off the field, too, putting in the work to get back, being able to step up in a moment like this.”
- With Raúl Fernández away on national team duty, Chris Seitz made his first start since July 4, when he was forced off late in the match after suffering a quadriceps injury. Fernández had played every minute of the previous 12 league games.