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The Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo tangled today in a Desert Diamond Cup match played via FIFA16 simulation. It was a cagey affair for the bulk of the first half where the Dynamo where the dominant team in both shots and possession but found themselves down a goal after a first half brace by Dillon Powers. Houston started brightly in the second half, but the quality of the Rapids midfield was the difference on the day and it ended 4-1 to the Burgundy Boys.
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Zac MacMath, Marc Burch, Axel Sjoberg, Sean St. Ledger, Eric Miller, Sam Cronin, Dillon Powers, Shkelzen Gashi, Marco Pappa, Dillon Serna, Kevin Doyle
Here are the highlights:
7th Min: Houston had the first real shot of the day, but it sailed high over the box and did not trouble Zac MacMath
10th Min: MacMath forced into a huge save that gave the Dynamo a corner but ultimately fell to nothing.
19th Min: First Rapids shot on goal was from Kevin Doyle, but feel weekly to the Dynamo keeper
23rd Min: Houston gets on the board with a gorgeous shot by Erick Torres. 1-0 Houston
32nd Min: GOAL RAPIDS! Dillon Powers picks up his first on the day with a shot in the bottom left corner. 1-1 now.
37th Min: Serna had a sweet shot that Joe Willis was able to parry away
45th Min: Marco Pappa is taken down in the box for a penalty kick. Powers steps up to take it...
45th Min: PENALTY SAVE! Shot is SAVED by Willis but Powers got his own rebound and heads it in for a GOAL to make it 2-1 Rapids going into the half
49th Min: BOOKING! Yellow card to Sam Cronin after a hard foul
51st Min: Cubo just misses to the outside on a header
55th Min: Cronin avoids a second yellow and is subbed off for Micheal Azira.
62nd Min: GOAL! Set piece header by Marc Burch from a Powers corner kick. Now 3-1 to the Rapids and the rout is on
69th Min: GOAL! Shkelzen Gashi gets his first in Burgundy, but truthfully it was a poor effort by the Dynamo keeper.
71st Min: BOOKING! Sean St. Ledger is shown a caution on a questionable decision by the referee.
72nd Min: Zach Pfeffer is brought on for Powers. Powers leaves with a brace and an assist.
80th Min: Dillon Serna makes way for Jared Watts
90th Min: Azira is shown the yellow card for a late foul.
Man of the Match: Powers
Final Stats
Colorado | Houston | |
Score | 4 | 1 |
Shots | 14 | 8 |
Shots on Goal | 10 | 2 |
Possession | 47% | 53% |
Fouls | 7 | 4 |
Bookings | 3 | 0 |