The Colorado Rapids lifted their first MLS Eastern Conference Championship on Saturday night with a hard fought 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes.
The game saw an unlikely hero emerge as it was defender Kosuke Kimura who netted the game winning goal that guarantees Colorado a spot in next week’s MLS Cup Final in Toronto, Canada. Colorado will face FC Dallas who advanced from the Western Conference final with a comfortable 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The Rapids had the better of the play for most of the first half and received their reward when Kimura opened the scoring with the decisive goal in the 42nd minute. Colorado played some nice short passes from a throw in that allowed Kimura to swing in an intended cross. The ball evaded forward Omar Cummings and bypassed everybody on its way to the far corner of the net.
San Jose’ leading goal threat and MLS Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski had a quiet game was well marshaled by a Rapids team who went in at the half time break with a 1-0 lead. Wondolowski’s only chance of the game came in the 63rd minute when he headed wide from a Ryan Johnson cross.
Two minutes later Jamaican forward Cummings broke free of the San Jose back line but saw his shot rebound off the crossbar. Colorado defender Drew Moor headed towards goal in the 69th minute but his shot was cleared off the goal line by Geovanni as the Earthquakes clung on.
However, despite a noble effort the Earthquakes never truly threatened for an equalizer, and Colorado earned a victory that sees them make their first MLS Cup Final appearance since 1997.
SCORING SUMMARY
COL – Kosuke Kimura (Unassisted) 42’
LINEUPS
COL – Pickens, Kimura, Wynne, Moor, Wallace (Baudet 78), Thomson, Larentowicz, Mastroeni, Mullan, Casey (Amarikwa 89), Cummings.
SJ – Busch, Leitch (Alvarez 57), Hernandez, McDonald, Ward, Wondolowski, Cronin (Eduardo 79), Sealey, Convey, Geovanni (Stephenson 72), Johnson.
The Rapids had the better of the play for most of the first half and received their reward when Kimura opened the scoring with the decisive goal in the 42nd minute. Colorado played some nice short passes from a throw in that allowed Kimura to swing in an intended cross. The ball evaded forward Omar Cummings and bypassed everybody on its way to the far corner of the net.
San Jose’ leading goal threat and MLS Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski had a quiet game was well marshaled by a Rapids team who went in at the half time break with a 1-0 lead. Wondolowski’s only chance of the game came in the 63rd minute when he headed wide from a Ryan Johnson cross.
Two minutes later Jamaican forward Cummings broke free of the San Jose back line but saw his shot rebound off the crossbar. Colorado defender Drew Moor headed towards goal in the 69th minute but his shot was cleared off the goal line by Geovanni as the Earthquakes clung on.
However, despite a noble effort the Earthquakes never truly threatened for an equalizer, and Colorado earned a victory that sees them make their first MLS Cup Final appearance since 1997.
SCORING SUMMARY
COL – Kosuke Kimura (Unassisted) 42’
LINEUPS
COL – Pickens, Kimura, Wynne, Moor, Wallace (Baudet 78), Thomson, Larentowicz, Mastroeni, Mullan, Casey (Amarikwa 89), Cummings.
SJ – Busch, Leitch (Alvarez 57), Hernandez, McDonald, Ward, Wondolowski, Cronin (Eduardo 79), Sealey, Convey, Geovanni (Stephenson 72), Johnson.
