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August 30, 2009
MLS ROUNDUP
Tough day for the top dogs
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Dane Richards scored in the 63rd minute as the last-place New York Red Bulls stunned Columbus 1-0.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
NEW YORK RED BULLS 1, COLUMBUS CREW 0
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—The Columbus Crew started a second-string lineup against the lowly New York Red Bulls on Sunday, and paid for it with their first MLS loss since June 20, 1-0 in front of a sparse crowd at Giants Stadium.
Dane Richards scored the game’s lone goal, charging alone downfield and beating defender Chad Marshall before slotting shot past netminder Andy Gruenebaum in the 63rd minute.
Columbus (10-4-9) started the game with regular starters Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno and Robbie Rogers on the bench. All three, starting with Rogers in the 69th minute, were on the field by game’s end, but made little impact.
Winning goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul got some timely help from his defense, with Danleigh Borman clearing Chad Marshall’s shot off the goal line in the 24th minute, and New Zealand international Andrew Boyens clearing a dangerous cross from Frankie Hejduk over the end line in the 66th.
COLORADO RAPIDS 1, HOUSTON DYNAMO 0
COMMERCE CITY, Colo.—Hulking defender Julien Baudet scored his first MLS goal as the Colorado Rapids knocked off Western Conference leaders the Houston Dynamo 1-0 Sunday in front of 10,897 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Baudet, who entered the game in the 13th minute for injured starter Cory Gibbs, soared up to meet Mehdi Ballouchy’s corner kick in the 55th minute for the only goal of the game.
Thye Rapids put four of their 10 shots on goal, while the Dynamo’s usually potent offense was on target only once, when Kei Kamara took advantage of a defensive error to challenge netminder Matt Pickens one-on-one. The stop was Pickens’ only save of the game. The frustration took its toll on the Dynamo in the closing minutes, when midfielder Brad Davis was sent off for a reckless tackle on Ballouchy.
Pat Onstad turned away three as the Dynamo fall to 11-7-7 (40 points), only two points ahead of second-place Los Angeles. The Rapids are tied with Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA for third in the conference at 33 points (9-7-6).
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