The Colorado Rapids may be happy to finish up a three-game road trip with five points. But they weren’t thrilled with the penalty call that gave D.C. United a share of the points in Saturday night’s 1-1 draw at RFK Stadium.
“All in all, it was a good point but it’s a little infuriating not to bag all three when you have a poor decision like that,” Rapids head coach Gary Smith told MLSsoccer.com after the match.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS: DC 1, Colorado 1
DC appeared to have a legitimate call for a penalty turned down early in the second half when Joseph Ngwenya got tangled up with Colorado midfielder Jeff Larentowicz. But the way the Rapids saw things on the play that actually earned the whistle, it was United’s Chris Pontius who seemed to barge defender Kosuke Kimura rather than the other way round.
“We didn’t start the second half very well and DC, with a little bit of help from the officials, took advantage of it,” Smith told the media after the game. “But, yes, in frustration we didn’t get all three [points], but it’s been a long three road trips unbeaten so it’s decent.”
Smith’s side now returns to Colorado to face Toronto FC next weekend, one of three matches at home out of their next four.
They will be boosted by the return from injury of striker Conor Casey, who came on against DC for the last half hour in his first appearance since April 3.
“The two young guns did great in the first half,” Smith said of starting forwards Andre Akpan and Quincy Amarikwa combination. “It was more difficult in the second. [Conor] was very bright when he came on and that gave us a big boost.”
Casey has no after effects from his injury, Smith added.
Having Casey back in the lineup will be a boost to an attack that is continues to miss strikers Omar Cummings and Caleb Folan. The side has scored only four goals in their last seven games. On Saturday, the Rapids’ lone goal came from centerback Drew Moor, who cleaned up a loose ball after a long set piece from Jamie Smith. It was his 10th career goal and first since last June 5.
“You go forward enough times which I have — it’s been about a year since I’ve scored — you’re bound to get a bounce to go your way and that’s kind of what happened,” Moor said after the match. “They’re a scrappy team and they had a good run of the play there in the second half and we had to sit in and absorb a lot of the pressure. I thought we did a good job. I think [we were] a little unlucky to give away the PK there, but I think at the end of the day we’ll take the road point.”
