May 23, 2011 MLS--Reds Earn A Draw In Colorado (from MLSsoccer.com)
Reds Earn A Draw In Colorado Toronto holds MLS Cup champion nil-nil away to Commerce City. MLSsoccer.com May 23, 2011 COMMERCE CITY, Colorado - Toronto FC gutted out a valuable scoreless draw on the road Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park as the Colorado Rapids failed to take advantage of their first home game in three weeks. Goalkeeper Matt Pickens was a bright spot for the Rapids, who earned a draw for the third straight match and stretched their unbeaten streak to four games overall. The veteran made his biggest save on Toronto’s Nick Soolsma, who missed perhaps the best scoring chance of the game when he rocketed a right-footed shot from eight yards out off the gloves of a sliding Pickens in the 45th minute. Mikael Yourassowksy also blasted a shot off the crossbar in the 62nd minute for Toronto, who earned their second point in five games on the road this season. Forward Conor Casey earned his first start since early April for Colorado, but the reigning MLS Cup MVP was taken out for Andre Akpan in the 61st minute after a relatively quiet night. Casey, who suffered a hamstring injury early last month and is still working his way back to fitness, failed to register a shot in Sunday’s match. Colorado finished with just two shots on goal to Toronto’s three, according to statistics provided by OPTA, despite controlling 64 percent of the possession in front of their home crowd. Joao Plata, the Toronto FC forward who was recently called up for the Ecuadorean national team’s friendly matches in June, finished with one shot on goal over 60 minutes in his fourth consecutive start. Colorado face a short turnaround with a matchup against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, while Toronto will play the same night in the final leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps. A scoreless draw or a win for Toronto will take the Reds to the Champions League preliminary round. Toronto - Stefan Frei; Richard Eckersley, Dicoy Williams, Adrian Cann (Ty Harden 74'), Dan Gargan; Alen Stevanovic, Nathan Sturgis (Nana Attakora 84'), Mikael Yourassowsky, Nick Soolsma, Javier Martina, Joao Plata (Maicon Santos 60') ... Substitutes not used: Milos Kocic, Matt Gold, Oscar Cordon Colorado - Matt Pickens; Kosuke Kimura, Tyrone Marshall, Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne, Anthony Wallace; Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Jamie Smith (Sanna Nyassi 45'), Quincy Amarikwa (Wells Thompson 67'), Conor Casey (Andre Akpan 61') ... Substitutes not used: Steward Ceus, Mike Holody, Joseph Nane, Scott Palguta Misconduct Summary: Toronto - Martina (caution 83') Colorado - Wynne (caution 69') Referee: Abiodun Okulaja Referee's Assistants: Philippe Briere; Brian Poeschel 4th Official: Elias Bazakos Attendance: 13,598
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