ANOTHER LATE CARRIERI GOAL SAVES RAPIDS AS COLORADO EVENS PLAYOFF SERIES WITH DALLAS

1-0 Win Sends Rapids Back to Dallas on Wednesday for Deciding Game

DENVER, Colorado - Forward Chris Carrieri netted his first career postseason goal as the Colorado Rapids evened their MLS Cup Quarterfinal series against the Dallas Burn with a 1-0 Game Two victory at INVESCO Field on Saturday night. With the teams splitting the first two games of the series, the Burn and Rapids are now tied at three points apiece (three points for a win). The decisive Game Three of this series will be played at the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. MT. The Rapids are attempting to advance to the MLS Cup Semifinals for the first time since 1997.

The Rapids owned the better of the play in the first half and outshot the visiting Burn 9-4 in the first 45 minutes. However, Colorado's best opportunities came on shots from outside the box and were never too threatening. In the fourth minute Colorado forward John Spencer sent his effort wide left from 20 yards out. The Scotsman and Rapids captain also had two shots on free kicks, with one trickling to goalkeeper Matt Jordan and the other slamming against the Burn's defensive wall in stoppage time.

Although the Rapids enjoyed the majority of the possession in the first half, the Burn had more shots on goal (3-2). On the most dangerous attempts at the Colorado goal, Colombian midfielder Oscar Pareja struck the right outside netting on a shot in the 19th minute.

The second half did not see either team come close early on if not for a Kramer tip of a veering Antonio Martinez cross over the bar seven minutes after the break. In fact, for the first time in six games between the two teams this season, the game was scoreless past the 53rd minute.

While the Burn brought on 18-year-old attacking phenom Eddie Johnson to replace forward Bobby Rhine, the Rapids saw two opportunities created by midfielder Mark Chung finish slightly off target. In the 64th minute his left-footed strike finished wide left and two minutes later, a free kick from the right flank crossed the face of the goal, only to roll past the end line for a Dallas goal kick.

With just 12 minutes remaining in regulation, Carrieri scored the only goal of the game on a lightning quick strike. Rapids defender Robin Fraser intercepted a Burn clearance on the right flank and knocked in a cross into the Burn penalty area. Eight yards from goal, Carrieri beat defender Tenywa Bonseu to the ball and made a stunning turn as he first-timed the ball into the back of the net. His powerful shot easily beat Jordan inside the right post. The second-year MLS player scored 11 goals during the regular season, tying Chung and Chris Henderson for the team lead in 2002.

The Burn brought in attacking midfielder Joselito Vaca in the 80th minute, but he was in turn substituted eight minutes later after taking a boot in the head from Carlos Valderrama. For the rest of the match Dallas would not pose a serious threat to the goal defended by David Kramer as the Rapids 'keeper netted his third postseason shutout.

After conceding four goals in Game One in Dallas on Wednesday, Rapids Head Coach Tim Hankinson made two tactical changes to his back line, inserting two fullbacks, Wes Hart on the right and Ritchie Kotschau on the left. They replaced central defender Rick Titus and Zach Kingsley, a right midfielder, in the starting lineup.

The first-to-five points series will resume at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. MT. With each team having won its home game, the series will be decided on Wednesday night. The winner of the series between Dallas and Colorado will meet the winner of the Kansas City Wizards-Los Angeles Galaxy series in the MLS Semifinal playoff round. MLS Cup will be contested at the home of the New England Revolution - Gillette Stadium - on October 20.

Scoring Summary:
COL--Carrieri (Fraser) 78

Lineups:
DALLAS BURN--Matt Jordan, Paul Broome, Tenywa Bonseu, Steve Morrow (Joselito
Vaca 80, Percy Olivares 88), Ryan Suarez, Ronnie O'Brien, Chad Deering,
Antonio Martinez, Oscar Pareja, Bobby Rhine (Edward Johnson 62), Jason Kreis
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (O'Brien 2, Martinez 2, Deering 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (O'Brien
2, Martinez 2, Deering 2); FOULS: 25 (Deering 5); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS:
4; SAVES: Jordan 5; CAUTIONS: Broome 39, Bonseu 41; EJECTIONS: none;
POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 44%

COLORADO RAPIDS--David Kramer, Steven Herdsman, Robin Fraser, Wes Hart,
Ritchie Kotschau, Pablo Mastroeni, Mark Chung, Chris Henderson, Carlos
Valderrama, John Spencer, Chris Carrieri
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Spencer 4, Chung 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Carrieri 2); FOULS:
15 (Mastroeni 3); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Kramer 6; CAUTIONS:
Valderrama 19, Fraser 32; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 56%

Referee: Rich Grady; Assistant Referees: Greg Barkey, Richard Eddy
Attendance: 9,637; Weather: Cool, Partly Cloudy

Post Game Quotes:

Defender Robin Fraser:

"I think this is our team's best defensive effort. The reason the defenders looked so good today is because the guys in front of us worked so hard. In working so hard they made things pretty simple for us. It was a great team effort. Our job was made easy by the pressure the midfielders put on the ball. If there is no pressure on the ball it's tough to play, but our guys did a great job getting to the ball. The defenders were picking up scraps more than anything else."

Forward Chris Carrieri:

"When we went there (Cotton Bowl) we got manhandled a little bit. But this gives us a bit of confidence going back down there. Whoever gets in the hardest is going to win the game in Dallas. Robin's ball was perfectly placed - it was like he was reading my mind. A guy like that (Fraser) makes a great run and gets a ball in like that, near post, you've got to finish it."

Defender Ritchie Kotschau:

"An outstanding effort tonight. Everyone worked for each other tonight, and everyone was running off the ball supporting each other. Everyone wanted the ball, and that's a good sign when everyone wants the ball and wants to do something with it to be part of the team. With us clogging up the middle, they really didn't know what was coming at them. The lineup change really worked in our favor. It was one of those nights where everyone stepped up and worked hard."

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