DALLAS DRAWS FIRST BLOOD WITH 4-2 WIN OVER RAPIDS IN GAME ONE OF PLAYOFF QUARTERFINALS

Four Different Burn Players Find Net; Series Resumes Saturday at INVESCO Field

DALLAS (Wednesday, September 25, 2002) - The Colorado Rapids find themselves in a hole after the first game of the 2002 MLS Playoffs presented by Budweiser after dropping a 4-2 decision to the Dallas Burn at the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday night. Antonio Martinez led the Burn with a goal and an assist as Dallas takes a 3-0 point lead in the first-to-five points series.

The Rapids got off to a promising start and wasted no time taking the lead, converting through Carlos Valderrama's header in the second minute. Chris Henderson started the sequence with a throw-in from the far touchline, which Chris Carrieri touched into the path of Valderrama. The Colombian midfield legend had no problem slipping past Martinez and nodding a bouncing shot inside the right post, just squeezing the ball between goalkeeper Matt Jordan and the woodwork.

The early goal helped open the game up, and the teams traded long runs into the opposing team's end for the next five minutes. Though the two sides had no trouble advancing through midfield with the ball, neither team could manage a truly dangerous chance.

Dallas had a pair of chances in the 17th minute but came up empty on each. Rick Titus saved a great chance with a well-timed slide tackle in the penalty area on Martinez after the midfielder snuck past Mark Chung on a diagonal run at goal, and Bobby Rhine's backheel from Chad Deering's freekick skimmed wide of the right post.

The Burn leveled the score in the 26th minute when Steve Morrow headed home a freekick from Martinez after Titus was whistled for a handball near the corner flag. Morrow, who has scored all four of his 2002 goals against the Rapids, slipped past his mark in the six-yard box and redirected the cross past goalkeeper David Kramer.

The Rapids came close in the closing minutes of the first half after Zach Kingsley's long pass from midfield produced a shot from John Spencer- only their third of the half compared to 11 by the Burn - but Dallas netminder Jordan had no trouble holding the ball and ending the chance.

Dallas was quick to gain the momentum in the second half and saw their efforts pay off with a well-taken goal from Jason Kreis in the 49th minute. From a throw-in, Ryan Suarez played a ball along the right flank to Ronnie O'Brien, who darted down the sideline before delivering a right-footed cross into the goalmouth area for Kreis to bang home uncontested.

Colorado had some difficulty finding a rhythm early in the second half, but produced a scoring chance in the 61st minute. Chung played a square ball across the top of the penalty area that Valderrama pushed Carrieri, but Jordan easily scooped the second-year forward's low shot.

Just minutes later the Rapids survived a scare when Bobby Rhine rang a shot off the post in the 63rd minute.

The Rapids would not be as lucky in the 68th minute, and gave up a goal that increased the Dallas lead to 3-1. Forward Eddie Johnson, who had just subbed into the match for Rhine, centered the ball to the top of the penalty area to Deering. Deering took a hopeful, long-range shot at goal, which deflected off Titus and past the helpless Kramer.

Before the Dallas celebrations had even ended, the Burn tacked on a fourth goal, this time after a give-and-go sequence between Oscar Pareja and Martinez in the 70th minute. Martinez converted for the score, pushing a low shot between Kramer and the post.

But the Rapids did not stop attacking and were rewarded with a penalty kick opportunity after Ryan Suarez dragged Spencer down in the 18-yard box. Spencer drilled a rocket down the middle just over Jordan's head to make the score 4-2.

Chris Henderson put a scare into the home crowd with a blast that skimmed off the crossbar in the 83rd minute after Valderrama led him with a pass, but the ball bounded out of play.

Spencer again tested Jordan, this time in injury time, but the goalkeeper was up to the task and kept the ball out of the net as time expired.

The Rapids return home for game two of the first-to-five points series on Saturday night. Kickoff for the match at INVESCO Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the match are available at the INVESCO Field box office, Ticketmaster outlets, and by calling the Rapids at 303-299-1599.

Scoring Summary:
COL--Valderrama (Carrieri, Henderson) 2
DAL--Morrow (Martinez) 26
DAL--Kreis (O'Brien, Suarez) 49
DAL--Deering (Johnson, Pareja) 68
DAL--Martinez (Pareja) 70
COL--Spencer (PK) 75

COLORADO RAPIDS--David Kramer, Rick Titus (Ritchie Kotschau 71), Zach
Kingsley (Seth Trembly 74), Steven Herdsman, Robin Fraser, Chris Henderson,
Mark Chung, Pablo Mastroeni (Wes Hart 71), Carlos Valderrama, John Spencer,
Chris Carrieri
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Spencer 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Spencer 3); FOULS: 26
(Mastroeni 7); OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Kramer 3; CAUTIONS:
Mastroeni 18, Henderson 67, Fraser 86; EJECTIONS: none.

DALLAS BURN--Matt Jordan, Ryan Suarez, Paul Broome, Tenywa Bonseu, Steve
Morrow, Chad Deering, Ronnie O'Brien, Oscar Pareja, Antonio Martinez, Bobby
Rhine (Edward Johnson 67), Jason Kreis (Jorge Rodriguez 83)
TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Martinez 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Martinez 2); FOULS: 19
(Pareja 4); OFFSIDE: 5; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: Jordan 6; CAUTIONS: Suarez
36, Kreis 54, Broome 54; EJECTIONS: none.

Referee: Alex Prus; Assistant Referees: Robert Fereday, Steven Davidson
Attendance: 6,360; Weather: Clear, 82 dgrs;73% humidity.

Post Game Quotes:

Head Coach Tim Hankinson: "Basically, they beat us in almost every aspect of the game tonight. We weren't able to keep possession, they were winning 50/50 balls, and after they scored that first goal they kept us on our heels. We weren't able to play out of our half successfully and created very few chances for our forwards at the other end. They've competed harder than us tonight and that is an issue we will have to address with the team. The level of our game needs to be raised both defensively and offensively. "

Captain John Spencer: "After scoring the first goal the last thing that should happen to you is to go 4-1 down. I don't think you can blame any one player; I think you've got to blame us as a team. We've played poorly every time we've come down here. We just haven't played a good game. To win playoff games and championships you have to have 11, 12, 13 players playing to the top of their ability, and we didn't have that tonight. I don't think anybody had passing marks for us tonight. We've got to go back to Denver, get things sorted out at the practice field and see what the game holds for us on Saturday."

Defender Rick Titus: "We got played off the park tonight. They beat us on defense, they beat us in the midfield, and they beat us up front. They beat us in the air and beat us on the ground. They're wingers were killing us. Martinez and O'Brien were let loose tonight, and every time you turned around they were getting stuff into the box. They pressed well and their four backs are strong, and we had a hard time playing balls over the top. They've got some tough, good players out there, and we need to do something to get them out of their rhythm."

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