SB Nation Denver - Colorado Rapids Defeat Columbus Crew, 1-0, On Pablo Mastroeni Goalhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48907/denver-fave.png2010-10-28T22:22:14-06:00http://denver.sbnation.com/rss/stream/15443362010-10-28T22:22:14-06:002010-10-28T22:22:14-06:00Pablo Mastroeni Goal Gives Colorado Rapids 1-0 Victory Over Columbus Crew
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<p>Commerce City, CO (Sports Network) – The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.burgundywave.com/">Colorado Rapids</a> opened the 2010 Major League Soccer playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.massivereport.com/">Columbus Crew</a> at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Thursday night.</p>
<p>The Rapids, who finished the regular season in fifth place in the Western Conference, lead the home-and-home, total-goals quarterfinal series 1-0 over the Crew, who finished second in the East in the regular season.</p>
<p>Colorado captain <span>Pablo Mastroeni</span> scored the game’s only goal, his first career playoff tally in his 16th playoff game with the Rapids, which ties him with Chris Henderson for the most all-time playoff appearances with the club.</p>
<p>Colorado strikers <span>Omar Cummings</span> and <span>Conor Casey</span> had the Crew defense on its heels most of the night, and they nearly gave the home side the advantage inside 10 minutes. The two broke into the Columbus end on a two-on-one vs. defender <span>Chad Marshall</span> after Cummings ran onto a ball on the right side. The Jamaican then played a ball across the box that was just out of the reach of Casey with a wide-open goal in front of him.</p>
<p>The Crew’s best early chance came minutes later when Colorado goalkeeper <span>Matt Pickens</span> was forced to punch away a <span>Guillermo Barros Schelotto</span> corner kick just before striker <span>Steven Lenhart</span> could get his head on it.</p>
<p>Colorado went up 1-0 in the 24th minute when Cummings ran onto a diagonal ball into the right corner. He then played a ball into the middle of the penalty area that Casey deftly touched with a back-heel to Mastroeni at the far post. Mastroeni finished it off by blasting the shot just under the crossbar from close range.</p>
<p>That was how the score stayed as the Rapids dominated the majority of the game, but were unable to get a second goal. The Crew began a push-back in the closing minutes, with an <span>Andy Iro</span> header from close range that saved by Pickens five minutes from time being their best chance of the game.</p>
<p>The Rapids take the one-goal advantage into the second and deciding leg at Crew Stadium on Nov. 6.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/colorado-rapids/2010/10/28/1781210/pablo-mastroeni-goal-gives-colorado-rapids-1-0-victory-columbus-crewwRuss Oates2010-10-28T20:25:47-06:002010-10-28T20:25:47-06:00Video: Pablo Mastroeni Playoff Goal Against Columbus Crew
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<p>Here’s video of the goal by the Rapids’ <span>Pablo Mastroeni</span>:</p>
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<p><span>Omar Cummings</span> gets the ball outside of the box and directs to the middle of the field where it hits off of <span>Conor Casey</span>. Pablo Mastroeni heads to the ball and puts it in the net to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/colorado-rapids/2010/10/28/1781024/video-pablo-mastroeni-playoff-goal-against-columbus-crewRuss Oates2010-10-28T19:51:24-06:002010-10-28T19:51:24-06:00Pablo Mastroeni Scores Goal, Rapids Lead, 1-0
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<p><span>Pablo Mastroeni</span> put the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.burgundywave.com/">Colorado Rapids</a> on board during the 23rd minute of the first half. <span>Conor Casey</span> and <span>Omar Cummings</span> assisted on the play.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/colorado-rapids/2010/10/28/1780973/pablo-mastroeni-scores-goal-rapids-lead-1-0Russ Oates2010-10-28T14:12:29-06:002010-10-28T14:12:29-06:00Rapids Host The Crew In The First Ever Playoff Game At Dicks Sporting Goods Park Tonight
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<p>The last time the Rapids made the playoffs, they still wore blue and black as their colors and still played in the middle of the Denver Metro area. A lot has changed with both the team and its identity as they take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.massivereport.com/">Columbus Crew</a> tonight in the first ever playoff game to be hosted in the beautiful Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.</p>
<p>Columbus has not been at their best late in the season, with fatigue and lack of depth catching up to a squad that has played not only 30 games of MLS but a full US Open Cup run to the final and several continuing CCL matches besides. Goalkeeper <span>William Hesmer</span> was also lost to a shoulder fracture in the Crew's last game of the season, leaving only backup goaltender <span>Andy Gruenebaum</span> to be in net for them, a man with not a single minute of MLS game experience. He did start most of the teams cup matches this season so playoffs may not be as big a deal for him as expected.</p>
<p>Colorado's star striker tandem of <span>Conor Casey</span> and <span>Omar Cummings</span> has produced over 25 goals together this season, they'll look to continue that success against a weakened goaltending and center-back defense of Columbus. The playoff experience that the new players on the team bring could be immense help as well in giving the newer Rapids a chance to shake off the pressure.</p>
<p>A win today will give Colorado an advantage in the home/away two legged playoff series, a good start considering the still somewhat questionable road form of Colorado - something that has been quelled by recent results away at <a href="../../soccer/mls/teams/fc-dallas" class="sbn-auto-link">FC Dallas</a> and Los Angeles but could still be a concern - and a fairly easy road to get to the semifinals against either the <a href="../../soccer/mls/teams/new-york-red-bulls" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Red Bulls</a> or the <a href="../../soccer/mls/teams/san-jose-earthquakes" class="sbn-auto-link">San Jose Earthquakes</a>.</p>
<p>The game is at 7 PM Mountain Time tonight on ESPN2.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2010/10/28/2323317/rapids-host-the-crew-in-the-first-ever-playoff-game-at-dicks-sportingUZ