COLORADO RAPIDS SHOCK UNDEFEATED TECOS OF MEXICAN LEAGUE WITH 1-1 DRAW

GUADALAJARA (Tuesday, February 24, 1998) - The Colorado Rapids surprised Tecos, who has yet to lose a game in the Mexican first division, with a 1-1 draw Tuesday night in Guadalajara. The Rapids fell behind early before Steve Trittschuh evened the score late in the first half to give the Rapids the eye-catching result. The draw leaves Colorado's record at 6-1-1 in the pre-season.

Both teams were missing some of their regulars, with Colorado's Marcelo Balboa and Chris Henderson in Belgium with the U.S. National Team, and a couple Tecos starters resting due to the rigors of the Mexican League schedule.

Rapids coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick said that the draw, which he considered a win, came from a strategy based on an old football adage.

"We knew with their talent they would have a lot of possession, so we just figured that when we did get the ball, we had to take care of it more than ever. The best form of defending is to keep the ball away from the other team, and we did that for some good stretches tonight," Myernick said.

Colorado nearly jumped out to an early lead when the Tecos defense underestimated the speed of Rapids forward Wolde Harris. The Jamaican forward outran a defender and bent a shot around the goalkeeper, only to have it bounce off the post. Paul Bravo was first to the rebound, but his shot was cleared off the goal line by a sliding Tecos defender.

The Rapids might have been regretting the near miss when Tecos took the lead in the 25th minute on a far-post header off a cross.

Instead of bunkering down against a team that is considered superior on paper, Colorado continued to push, and caught Mexico's top team off guard in the 38th minute when Steve Trittschuh out-jumped two defenders to fire in a header from ten yards out and silence the crowd in Guadalajara.

After the half, Colorado continued to concentrate on playing conservatively with the ball, and found success in the patient, possession game. Fifteen minutes from the end of the game, the patience nearly paid off when a Ross Paule cross found Paul Bravo in the penalty box, but Bravo's header was snared out of the air by a diving Tecos goalkeeper.

Neither team would threaten again and Colorado came away with the upset draw in a game that could've been a learning experience for a Rapids team that is still deterrmining which players will make the final twenty for the upcoming MLS season.

RAPIDS LINE-UP: Marcus Hahnemann, Sean Henderson, Peter Vermes, Steve Trittschuh, Chris Martinez, Joey DiGiamarino (Andre Nunely 45), Marco dos Santos (Ross Paule 60), Tahj Jakins, Adrian Paz (Tyrone Marshall 55), Wolde Harris, Paul Bravo (Jason Boyce 70).

"There was no pressure coming in and maybe that was part of it. Here's a team that has not lost in eight games in one of the top leagues in the world, and here we are in the pre-season, still finding our team. Whatever the case, I feel very good about this team right now."

"I am thrilled with our attitude. We were not intimidated by the team or the environment, we just came to the game and did our business and got the result, that no doubt will surprise a lot of people down here when they see the score."

TRITTSCHUH INSPIRED BY DAUGHTER'S BIRTH? Rapids captain Steve Trittschuh scored his second goal in two games since he flew home to Denver for the birth of his daughter, Aspen Taylor.

NO REST FOR THE WEARY: The Rapids will play their fifth game in nine days and second in about twelve hours Wednesday when they face the Atlas reserve club in Guadalajara. The game, scheduled for 10 am MST, will be Colorado's final match before returning to Denver. The Rapids are 3-0-1 on their Mexican tour.