Vancouver Whitecaps 1 Colorado Rapids 0 - Same $#*%, Different (Holi)Day

Hey there, intrepid reader. Do you remember that one game that the Rapids played back on June 16th against the Vancouver Whitecaps? Yeah, that one. Well, I was pretty close to just copy/pasting most of that game recap in this space because it was almost the exact same game.

When the teams took the field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, everyone pretty much just picked up where they left off in that last game. Darren Mattocks continued to shred the Rapids defense. The offense continued to create tons of great chances but just miss the finishes. Davide Chiumiento continued to spend more time on the ground sobbing than on his feet playing football. (Though, this referee was far more kind when it came to calling dives on both sides than the one previous, the reason why there were 28 fouls total in this game.) Most of all, the Rapids frustratingly couldn't buy any luck.

The game even featured another goal caused by a mistake in the center backs, what fun!

Oscar Pareja can't be faulted for trying to replicate the success he saw against Portland in front of a sold out DSGP crowd by playing the same line up as last game. Conor Casey and Omar Cummings were up top, Marvell Wynne and Drew Moor were in the center of defense and the midfield was its usual stacked self as well. It looked all right at the start, too. Possession was dominated, as were the number of chances, by the Rapids in the first 40 minutes of play.

The chances weren't bad either, as the offense looked just as geared and ready to go as they did against Portland. Unfortunately the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this team's offense has always been random spells of not being able to finish and they were struck with the negative side of it this time around once again.

Eventually, Darren Mattocks did what he spent all last game doing before getting red carded -- slicing up the Rapids defense. A mistake by Marvell Wynne on a ball through to Mattocks -- and another mistake by Drew Moor on that same ball -- left Darren wide open for a shot in the area and he put it home on Vancouver's only shot on target all game.

At that point, our favorite statistic came out -- the Rapids are only 2-8-1 when the other team scores and just can't seem to play from behind. The chances kept flowing and the Rapids kept dominating but eventually they lost their flair and the last 15 minutes or so of the game featured desperation play from Colorado. You can't win games that way.

Frustrating again when you see the stats, the Rapids had a 17-3 shot advantage, 60% of the possession and some very lovely passing. Had the Rapids won, people would be lauding this game as another example of the Portland match -- another example of the team's great talent and ability to dominate a match. Unfortunately, they lost on another unlucky break and instead, it's going to be another three days of malaise in Colorado.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Conor Casey. Spent the game doing what he does best, dominated the Vancouver defense and was inches away from scoring more than once. At times he looked the only one interested in trying to create a goal in the second half. Luis Zapata also had a monstrous match.

GOAT OF THE MATCH: Tough one to call, most players from the Rapids were decent but unspectacular.