Rapids Concede First But Escape With Draw

The hex is broken. The Colorado Rapids finally got at least a point after going down a goal. In eight previous games this season, six of them on the road, the Rapids have lost when conceding the first goal. Today, against the San Jose Earthquakes, they sure enough conceded the first goal but a header from Conor Casey in the 70th minute from a Terry Cooke cross rescued a point. This is good and should fill the team with confidence as they approach a four-game cycle which sees them on the road next week against Dallas followed by three consecutive home games.
Nobody could really say this was a pretty game. There weren't that many clear cut chances although Casey had a very good opportunity which he put wide of Joe Cannon's post in the 11th minute. I can't pretend to say anything too intelligent about the second half because I had to miss most of it. I did hear the San Jose goal on the Spanish language radio station and the familiar sense of dread overtook. But one text message later and the gloom dispersed as Casey grabbed the chance. Each game seems to be getting more important and the Dallas one next week must now loom large in the team's mind as they try not to resort to the old habits of conceding and going on to lose.