MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER GAME SUMMARY
APRIL 7, 2001 -- MIAMI FUSION 2, COLORADO RAPIDS 1

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL - Miami Fusion forward Alex Pineda Chacon came on as a substitute in the second half helped erase a one-goal deficit to give the Miami Fusion a 2-1 win on Saturday night at Lockhart Stadium. It was the Fusion's first win in a regular season opener.

After a physical first half with few chances on either end, Colorado came out and dominated the first part of the second half, breaking the deadlock with a goal in the 50th minute. A cross from Imad Baba from the right side was headed by Ross Paule in the middle of the Fusion penalty box. John Spencer connected on the deflection, heading the ball over Miami goalkeeper Nick Rimando from five yards out.

Chacon, who was acquired from Honduran club Olimpia in the offseason, entered the match for Tim Sahaydak in the 60th minute and joined Colombian Diego Serna in the attack, changing the momentum of the match at the same time.

Eight minutes after coming onto the field, Chacon netted his first goal. Ian Bishop won the ball 35 yards away from goal and sent a through ball through the middle of the Rapids defense to a streaking Chacon who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Adin Brown from six yards out.

Four minutes later, the Fusion, who won three of four games against the Rapids in 2000, took the lead for good. On a corner kick delivered by Serna, defender Ivan McKinley knocked the ball down with his chest and Chacon pounced on the loose ball, putting the ball in the net from close range.

The Fusion hit the road for the first time in 2001 next Saturday April 14 and travel to Foxboro Stadium to battle the New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. ET). The Rapids next host the Eastern Division champion MetroStars on Saturday in their home opener at Mile High Stadium. (9:00 p.m. ET).

APRIL 07--MIAMI FUSION 2, COLORADO RAPIDS 1

                   1     2     F
COLORADO RAPIDS    0     1     1
MIAMI FUSION       0     2     2

Scoring Summary:
COL--Spencer (Paule, Baba) 50
MIA--Chacon (Bishop) 68
MIA--Chacon (McKinley, Serna) 72

COLORADO RAPIDS--Adin Brown, Scott Vermillion, Chris Martinez, Steven
Herdsman (Neathan Gibson 74), Lance Key, Geoff Aunger (Marcelo Balboa 82),
Wes Hart (Jason Moore 62), Imad Baba, Ross Paule, Paul Bravo, John Spencer
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Spencer 3, Baba 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (five players with 1);
FOULS: 14 (Paule 3); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: Brown 2; CAUTIONS:
Hart 7, Key 56; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 47%

MIAMI FUSION--Nick Rimando, Ivan McKinley, Pablo Mastroeni, Tim Sahaydak
(Alex Pineda Chacon 60), Tyrone Marshall, Jim Rooney, Ian Bishop, Jay Heaps,
Chris Henderson, Preki (Pete Marino 82), Diego Serna
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Serna 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Chacon 2); FOULS: 15 (Mastroeni
3); OFFSIDE: 5; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: Rimando 4; CAUTIONS: McKinley 25,
Sahaydak 41; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 53%

Referee: Alex Prus; Referee's Assistants: Jon Wilson, Chip Reed
Attendance: 10,411; Weather: Sunny, 80 Degrees, Clear

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