COMMERCE CITY, Colo.—Looking to keep pace in their tight Western Conference and Supporter’s Shield races with FC Dallas, the Colorado Rapids have needed more than just one point per match.
On Saturday night, Marlon Hairston made sure they got all three.
After three straight draws, the Rapids rode Hairston's 78th-minute goal to a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City that extended their unbeaten streak to 14 games (8-0-7). It was also their first victory with high-profile midseason acquisition Tim Howard in goal.
“I think this league is a very tricky league,” said Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni. “I think it’s tough to ride this run of form and get all wins, but obviously this is a great performance.”
With the victory, Colorado stayed three points behind FC Dallas in the Shield and West races, though they wield three games in hand on the leaders.
Howard, back in MLS after a long career in England, was singled out for special praise.
“All year long we’ve reaped the benefits of good defending,” Mastroeni said. “But in games like this when they’re putting guys in the box and you’re defending off the cuff, you’ve got to have guys who are committed. [Howard] really solidified that back line, took the sting out of the game a couple times, made a couple good plays and did a fantastic job today.”
The Rapids produced little offensively in the first half, with only three shots – none on frame – before the break. Things began to turn in Colorado’s favor, though, with the substitution of Hairston for Marco Pappa in the 62nd minute.
“I think the space to play in was not underneath,” Mastroeni said. “The space with this team was behind the back four. We thought about how dynamic [Hairston] is, using him to get into spaces to threaten the space behind that back line.”
Hairston’s speed soon began to affect the game, as he found himself in a 1-v-1 opportunity with SKC ‘keeper Tim Melia in the 65th minute. Melia stayed big to thwart the effort – but in the 78th minute, Hairston was able to find the mark, taking a shot from the top of the 18 and beating Melia in the upper right corner with the match-winner.
“When you couple [speed] with very good technique and a very good understanding of the game, I think that he is trending in a very positive way,” Mastroeni said of Hairston. “I think he is putting himself in a position to be a good player in this league for many years to come.”
