Red Bulls suffer tough loss to Rapids
New York can't slow Colorado, fall in highest scoring MLS match of season
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Magee answers with early goalColorado won its third game away from Dick's Sporting Goods Park and temporarily moved into second place in the Western Conference, one point in front of Chivas USA. The Red Bulls dropped their second game of the year at home and failed to create distance between themselves and rival D.C. United, who sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
The teams combined for seven goals in the first half, one shy of the league record, before the Red Bulls pulled level with 16 minutes to play on Matthew Mbuta's first MLS goal. But Casey completed his hat trick in the final minute of regulation time to give the visitors the victory.
Less than three minutes into the first half, the Rapids jumped in front when Omar Cummings put the ball into an open net after Casey and Jon Conway collided on a ball at the top of the box.
Mike Magee almost instantly responded in the fifth minute, pouncing on a poor back pass by Cory Gibbs and touching the ball past Preston Burpo for his fifth goal of the year.
Colorado jumped back in front in the 11th minute when Casey split defenders and flicked the ball past Conway for his sixth goal of the year.
The Red Bulls scored two goals in the span of six minutes, the first coming on a Juan Pablo Angel penalty kick after Pablo Mastroeni handled Magee's volley inside the box in the 34th minute and then Dane Richards tapped Jorge Rojas' one-time pass from the left side in the 40th minute. Casey was dispossessed by Juan Pietravallo, who moved into the midfield and touched to Rojas.
The Rapids roared back and scored twice in the final two minutes of the first half to go into the locker room with a 4-3 lead. In the 43rd minute, Gabriel Cichero couldn't clear Ballouchy's corner kick with a weak header. Mike Petke picked up the ball, took a touch around Rojas and the former MetroStars defender scored inside of the near post.
It was the second time in Red Bulls history seven goals were scored in a half, matching the seven scored by the Red Bulls and Chivas on May 20, 2006. Chivas led 4-3 at the half and ended up losing 5-4. The MLS record for goals in a half is eight, set by Kansas City and Columbus on May 2, 1996; it was the fifth time seven goals had been scored in a half, but the first time in the opening 45 minutes.
After a poor first half, Cichero came off at halftime and was replaced by Andrew Boyens for Juan Carlos Osorio's first substitution. Kandji made his MLS debut in the 55th minute, replacing Richards for the Red Bulls second sub. Richards suffered a hyper extended right knee. Mbuta came on in the 70th minute, replacing Carlos Mendes for the Red Bulls' final change.
LaBrocca, who played his college soccer at nearby Rutgers, unleashed a long distance shot that Conway had to parry away in the 63rd minute. Boyens was booked by referee Baldomero Toledo in the 67th minute for bowling over Casey in the midfield. Boyens will be suspended for the Red Bulls' next match, at home against Toronto, because of yellow card accumulation.
Parke nearly had an own goal in the 72nd minute, but his shanked clearance went out for a corner kick. Two minutes later, the Red Bulls equalized on Mbuta's first MLS goal. The speedy Cameroonian started the play by heading the ball to Kandji, who played with the Atlanta Silverbacks in the USL First Division.
Kandji took a touch toward the end line before sending a low cross inside the six-yard box where Mbuta powered it past Rapids goalkeeper Preston Burpo with the outside of his right foot.
In the 78th minute, Magee found Angel in the box and his header from 14 yards out was saved by Burpo, who momentarily fumbled the rebound before beating a charging Angel to it.
Ten minutes later, Conway slapped at Colin Clark's shot, resulting in a Rapids corner kick. It appeared the Red Bulls would at least escape with a point until Casey powered in his third goal of the game in the waning moments of the second half.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
