Down a goal away from home, light-scoring Chivas USA looked dead and buried. But Juan Pablo Angel wasn't going to let his team just go away and scored in the 83rd minute to earn the Goats a 1-1 draw at the Colorado Rapids to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Colorado Rapids Vs. Chivas USA, 2012 MLS: Juan Pablo Angel Earns Goats A Point
The goal started when Tristan Bowen crossed for Angel, only for it to get too close to goal. Matt Pickens came out to grab the cross, but he couldn't get it done. Instead, he spilled it right in front for Angel to knock home and tie the match.
It was a tough result for the Rapids, who dominated Chivas for most of the match. Brian Mullan put the hosts in front in the 19th minute when he swiped the ball from Shalrie Joseph and bured his shot past Dan Kennedy.
The Rapids didn’t slow down just because they had a goal, but it didn’t play off. For all of their pressure, Colorado couldn’t find a second goal.
On a night full of missed opportunities, nobody was worse than Omar Cummings, who was extremely wasteful and on one occasion couldn't even get a shot off when alone on Kennedy. Credit does have to go to Kennedy, too, who made some fantastic saves to thwart the Rapids when they did get a shot on goal.
But those missed chances and Kennedy’s heroics kept Chivas in the match and Angel made the Rapids pay late on. With the point, Chivas stay just 10 points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with four matches in hand, while the Rapids are a point back of the Goats, but have played three more matches.
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