Defense reigns as Wizards tie Rapids

High-scoring clubs go scoreless at CommunityAmerica Ballpark

While not a loss, the tie still dimmed Kansas City's playoff chances as New England, one spot ahead of the Wizards in the Eastern Conference, came back to win earlier Saturday.

Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman earned his seventh shutout of the season. Rapids 'keeper Preston Burpo, making his eighth start of the year, earned his first shutout. Each notched three saves.

After 77 minutes had unfolded in a game that neither the Rapids (10-8-9, 39 points) nor the Wizards (8-11-7, 31 points) could seem to mount any sustained attack, Kansas City almost broke through.

On a corner kick in the 78th minute, Claudio Lopez sent a crisp cross to an unmarked Jimmy Conrad on the backside. Conrad, who headed in the game-winner last week against FC Dallas in the 80th minute, couldn't repeat his late-game heroics as his header hit the post. Conrad could only put his head in his hands, knowing he was that close to having his second game-winning goal in as many games.

Four minutes later, the Wizards tried once again to get a late goal as Davy Arnaud sent a cross inside the six-yard box for Zoltan, whose sliding attempt deflected wide to the right.

Before the late flurry of opportunities, both teams seemed to spend most of their energy on defense, doing extremely well in marking potential threats and limiting serious scoring opportunities.

The result was a shield on each goal in a game that many felt had the potential to be a shootout with Colorado coming in as the second-highest scoring team in Major League Soccer and Kansas City having found some offensive rhythm of late.

Looking for offense in the second half, Kansas City technical director/interim head coach Peter Vermes went to his bench in the 65th minute, substituting Zoltan for Josh Wolff, who left after suffering a bloody nose from contact. Wolff left after Wizards trainers could not stop his nose from bleeding.

Zoltan's entering when he did was the second time in as games that Vermes employed the same move. Against FC Dallas a week ago, Zoltan entered in the 77th minute and immediately earned an assist on a game-tying goal.

Unlike last game, however, Zoltan's and forward Kei Kamara's presence for the Wizards didn't lead to goals.

In the first half, both teams tried to strike early and take control, but neither could cash in on a combined 16 shots.

Just four minutes in, Colorado's Conor Casey, the leading scorer in MLS entering the game with 15 goals, received a cross in the middle and directed a quick header toward the Kansas City goal. After his early attempt, Casey was effectively bottled up and bothered by Wizards defenders, not getting another scoring chance while committing three fouls.

Kansas City's early focus seemed to be on finding chances for Kamara, who started for the first time since joining the Wizards. Defender Michael Harrington sent a cross intended for Kamara through the box in the eighth minute, but the ball stayed just high enough that the Sierra Leone native couldn't find it for a header.

After midfielder Santiago Hirsig missed a wide open attempt at the top right of the goal in the 12th minute and a Wolff header just missed to Burpo's left in the 35th, Kamara again set up for a header in the 41st. This time, however, the ball was knocked away on a stellar play by Burpo, who deflected the entry just before Kamara made contact.

Aside from Casey's early go, the Rapids' best scoring opportunity in the first 45 minutes came in the 24th minute as Omar Cummings zipped through two Kansas City defenders from his right, breaking free into the middle of the field.

Cummings unleashed a rocket toward the net and only a highlight-worthy, full-extension dive by Hartman kept the game scoreless.

In all, Kansas City took nine shots in the first half to Colorado's seven. Each team attempted a pair of shots on goal, with both Hartman and Burpo collecting two saves.

As Kamara got his first starting nod up top opposite Wolff, and Jack Jewsbury returned from a yellow-card suspension, Herculez Gomez was the odd man out. Gomez was not in the 18-man gameday squad for the first time this season. The midfielder had played in the previous 25 games, starting 20.

Curtis Kitchen is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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