Match Recap: Colorado Rapids 2, FC Dallas 2

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- It was a perfectly clear night at Dick’s Sporting Park on Saturday night, until it started to rain goals for a 10-minute span in a 2-2 draw between FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids.

Atiba Harris and Blas Perez each had a brace in a wild 15-minute span midway through the second half.

After a scoreless opening 50 minutes of play, Colorado and Dallas went on a scoring frenzy, compiling four goals in just 10 minutes to account for all the fireworks on the evening. Harris started the scoring with his third goal of the season in the 56th and it was capped with Perez finishing his brace in the 66th.

Despite the draw, Dallas stays atop the MLS standings with 28 points, while Colorado moved into a level mark with the LA Galaxy on points in the West.

FULL LINEUPS AND BOX SCORE

After a stale and physical opening half hour, the first real chance for either side didn’t arrive until the 38th minute, when Rapids defender Drew Moor recovered just in time to block Fabian Castillo’s near-breakaway in the box and clear the ball away from danger.

But after dominating possession in the opening half, the Rapids were rewarded quickly on the other side of the break. Marvell Wynne’s throw-in near the touchline went straight into the center of the box, and Harris followed with a clean header right into the corner of the net for the 1-0 advantage in the 56th.

But five minutes later the visitors had their reply. Clearing away a Dallas cross from Michel, Harris’ header deflected off a teammate and straight to Perez, who fired into the corner of the net to beat Rapids ‘keeper Clint Irwin and to even the game up at one in the 61st minute.

But little did either side know that the scoring bonanza had only just begun. A looping cross into the box from Rapids left back Chris Klute was met by a wide open Harris, who had a simple finish for his second goal of the game and his fourth goal of the season overall.

OPTA Chalkboard: Blas Perez floats around the field, finds space and opportunity on both goals

Not to be outdone, a long Dallas cross onto the edge of the box floated for Perez, who clinically finished with a scorching low drive from 20 yards out to even the game back up at two and extend his FC Dallas team scoring lead to five goals on the season.

The final minutes of the draw were filled with chances from both sides, but perhaps both teams had already exhausted their scoring touch earlier in the half.

FC Dallas will enjoy a ten-day break before hosting the Houston Dynamo in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round play on June 12 (TICKETS). They'll return to MLS play with an ESPN-televised game at Portland on Saturday, June 15. 

Chris Bianchi covers the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com.
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