The Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC played to a 0-0 stalemate at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night, as the Rapids missed an opportunity to move into first place in the Western Conference table.
Colorado – who are comfortably at third place in the West – extended their unbeaten run to 11 games, but will rue the missed opportunity to leapfrog both Sporting Kansas City and the Seattle Sounders. They've now drawn five of their last six games, yet are still primed to prominently factor in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The game's best chance came early in the first half through a nifty play by Colorado forward Andre Shinyashiki. The 2019 AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year delicately chipped a ball behind Toronto FC’s defense, finding the head of teammate Michael Barrios, but the Colombian striker lofted his header back across TFC goalkeeper Alex Bono and just over the net.
After that 12th-minute chance, both teams locked it down defensively, with neither side allowing a true goalscoring opportunity until the 90th minute when the Rapids thought they could have snagged a late winner.
A cross from Braian Galván in the second minute of injury time found the head of Diego Rubio in the six-yard box, but the Chilean forward's effort was just a bit too high and this game ended scoreless.
The match was Robin Fraser’s 50th game as Rapids head coach, which ironically came against his former team, which he left as an assistant to join Colorado in August 2019. Fraser’s 25 wins, 88 points and 17 clean sheets is the most in club history in a head coach’s first 50 games.
Goals
- None
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Colorado continue their unbeaten reign that spans over two months now, with their last loss coming all the way back on July 24 against Real Salt Lake. But they're missing a ruthless element that would turn these draws into wins. Toronto are now unbeaten in their last two MLS matches and three games across all competitions. This recent run has been included progress; however the Reds still remain bottom of the overall league table.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: An impressive interception from Toronto FC defender Kemar Lawrence kept things scoreless in the first half. The Jamaican international – at full stretch – got his toe on a Mark-Anthony Kaye cross, denying Barrios from likely finding the back of the net.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Toronto FC defended for long stretches and no one was put in a tougher position than defender Omar Gonzalez after he was summoned in the 33rd minute following an injury to Chris Mavinga. The veteran center back held things down, leading TFC's backline to just their second clean sheet this season – and first since May 12 (a 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew.)
Up Next
- COL: Wednesday, September 29 vs. Austin FC | 9 pm ET (MLS LIVE on ESPN+)
- TOR: Wednesday, September 29 vs. FC Cincinnati | 7 pm ET (TSN, MLS LIVE on ESPN+)
