Chivas Pounce to Take Game Away From Rapids

It kind of reminded me of watching the England national team. Some very good moments when taking the game to the opposition but a seeming inability to keep the pressure on for the full 90 minutes, so allowing the opposition to get crucially back into the game. There's a lot to be impressed about the season opener for the Colorado Rapids but we lost the game in a crucial five minute period when some concentration went awry, we gave the ball away to Chivas and Paulo Nagamura finished fantastically well to bury us. I don't think Matt Pickens will be beaten from 25 yards out too often this season and that was a great strike for Chivas' opening goal. Kosuke Kimura will be having some nightmares about his header out of defense which led to Nagamura's second but these things happen and we and he shouldn't get too disheartened by it. Just head it away from the center of the field next time, Kosuke! The Rapids played very well in the opening 45 minutes, scoring the opening goal of the game when Omar Cummings latched onto Zach Thornton's mistake to poach one close in. They also never gave up and came back furiously in the last quarter to try and get a deserved equalizer. It wasn't to be but the team was aggressive and confident for the vast majority of the match and this bodes well. As one of the Rapids' non-traveling players told me at SoBo yesterday, there are another 29 games to go and there is much to look forward to. For what it's worth, it would have been good to see Terry Cooke on at the end. We could have done with one of his trademark crosses in from the right onto Conor Casey's head. The game was crying out for it as we pressed for that equalizer. I wouldn't mind betting Cooke will be given the nod for the home opener and the wide expanses of DSG Park next week.

DU Star Makes U-20 National Team

Sam Garza is a name you should keep an eye on. The University of Denver forward has just been named to the US U-20 national squad for the upcoming CONCACAF U-20 championship taking place in Trinidad and Tobago March 6-15. The US should qualify from this for the U-20 World Cup which takes place in Egypt September 24-October 16. Well-placed sources rate Garza as probably the best young striker in the US today. The DU team will certainly miss him if he goes to Egypt in the Fall, the university's main season. You should also keep an eye on the fortunes of Kyle Christiansen who played upfront with Garza for DU last season before graduating. Christiansen was drafted by Chivas last month and is apparently still training with the LA-based team awaiting a decision on whether he will actually be signed. The Colorado Rapids open the MLS season away at Chivas March 21.