Pickens comes up big to extend the Rapids unbeaten streakCOMMERCE CITY, Colo. --- The Colorado Rapids failed to take advantage of their first home game in three weeks, and Toronto FC gutted out a valuable scoreless draw on the road Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Goalkeeper Matt Pickens was a bright spot for the Rapids (4-3-4), 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 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 (2-4-6), who are now winless 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.
Both teams finished with three shots on goal in the match. Colorado controlled 64 percent of the possession on the night in front of their home crowd, according to statistics provided by OPTA.
Joao Plata, the Toronto FC forward who was recently called up for the Ecuadorean national team’s three friendlies between May 28-June 7, finished with one shot on goal while earning 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.
Toronto FC -- Stefan Frei, Richard Eckersley, Dicoy Williams, Adrian Cann (Ty Harden 76), Dan Gargan, Mikael Yourassowsky, Alen Stevanovic, Nathan Sturgis (Nana Attakora 84), Javier Martina, Joao Plata (Maicon Santos 60), Nick Soolsma.
Substitutes Not Used: Oscar Cordon, Matt Gold, Milos Kocic.
TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (5 tied with 1); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (3 tied with 1); FOULS: 13 (3 tied with 2); OFFSIDES: 2 (Joao Plata 1, Mikael Yourassowsky 1); CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 3 (Stefan Frei 3)
Colorado Rapids -- Matt Pickens, Marvell Wynne, Tyrone Marshall, Drew Moor, Anthony Wallace, Kosuke Kimura, Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Jamie Smith (Sanna Nyassi 46), Quincy Amarikwa (Wells Thompson 67), Conor Casey (Andre Akpan 60).
Substitutes Not Used: Mike Holody, Joseph Nane, Scott Palguta, Steward Ceus.
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Quincy Amarikwa 2, Tyrone Marshall 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (3 tied with 1); FOULS: 10 (3 tied with 2); OFFSIDES: 2 (Quincy Amarikwa 1, Conor Casey 1); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Sanna Nyassi 3); SAVES: 3 (Matt Pickens 3)
Misconduct Summary:
COL -- Marvell Wynne (caution; Reckless Foul) 69
TOR -- Javier Martina (caution; Handball) 83
Referee: Abiodun Okulaja
Referee's Assistants: Philippe Briere; Brian Poeschel
4th Official: Elias Bazakos
Attendance: 13,598
Time of Game: 1:55
Weather: Sunny-and-73-degrees
