Colorado Rapids 4, New York Red Bulls 0

COMMERCE CITY, CO– The New York Red Bulls dropped a 4-0 decision to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in MLS Regular Season action. The Rapids were lifted by a first half goal by Jacob Peterson and three second half goals, improving their record to 7-5-6 (27 pts.). New York fell to 2-15-4 (10 pts.). The Red Bulls played with 10 men for the entire second half after Sinisa Ubiparipovic was given a red card in first half stoppage time.

Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas had the first opportunity of the game four minutes in when he made a run from his own half towards Colorado’s goal and unleashed a shot that went over the bar.

Colorado drew first blood a minute later. Ugo Ihemelu had the ball on the right side and played it over the top to a streaking Omar Cummings. Cummings took the ball towards the penalty box and played a low cross to Peterson, who beat his defender and slid it past goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul.

New York had chances soon after to put their name on the scoreboard. In the 10th minute, Red Bulls leading goal scorer Juan Pablo Angel – who is one goal away from tying Giovanni Savarese’s club record for regular season goals scored – had an opportunity to tally his eighth goal of the season when he was given space from an Ubiparipovic through ball in Colorado’s half. Angel went for goal from 18-yards-out and the ball zipped just past the net’s top right corner. Less than 10 minutes later, Macoumba Kandji forced Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens to make his first save of the match after the forward muscled off Ihemelu on the left wing and ran past a pair of Rapids defenders before blasting a shot on goal.

Cummings came close to doubling the hosts’ advantage in the 32nd minute. A bouncing ball went over New York defender Leo Krupnik’s head and Cummings ran in alone. However, his touch failed him and an on-rushing Coundoul was able to make the save.

It was an action-packed final 10 minutes of the first half, as the Red Bulls had two consecutive scoring chances. Red Bulls defender Alfredo Pacheco nearly put the visitors level with a left-footed 22-yard free kick that stung Pickens’ hands and went out of play. Later, on a corner kick, Ubiparipovic’s delivery zipped through the box to Angel, who struck it off the crossbar.

On the other end of the field, Rapids midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy put a shot on an empty net after Coundoul, who was making his Red Bulls debut against his former club, couldn’t get a handle on a cross in the box. However, defender Mike Petke was in a perfect position to head it away.

New York was reduced to 10 men in first half stoppage time when Ubiparipovic slid in from behind on defender Scott Palguta and referee Jasen Anno showed the midfielder a red card. Ubiparipovic will be suspended for New York’s next League match against Chivas USA on Aug. 15.

The Rapids took a 2-0 advantage less than two minutes into the second half. Pablo Mastroeni gained possession in the midfield and played a well-weighed ball to Pat Noonan. Noonan got inside New York’s penalty box and slipped a left-footed shot under Coundoul and into the right corner of the net.

Colorado continued to pressure the 10-men Red Bulls with Cummings hitting the ball off the right post from a tight angle. In the 61st minute, LaBrocca scored Colorado’s third goal, cleaning up a rebound after Coundoul went down to block a Ballouchy long-range shot. Six minutes later, Ballouchy got a goal of his own, firing a 25-yard free kick over the wall and inside the right post.

New York was missing the services of defender Kevin Goldthwaite (groin) and midfielder Danleigh Borman (left ankle sprain) due to injury. Krupnik made his MLS debut tonight.

New York Red Bulls 0, Colorado Rapids 4
July 25, 2009 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, CO

Scoring Summary:
COL: Jacob Peterson 2 (Omar Cummings 7, Ugo Ihemelu 2) 5’
COL: Pat Noonan 1 (Pablo Mastroeni 3) 46’
COL: Nick LaBrocca 2 (unassisted) 61’
COL: Mehdi Ballouchy 2 (unassisted) 67’

Disciplinary Summary:
NY: Leo Krupnik (caution) 33’
COL: Julien Baudet (caution) 34’
NY: Sinisa Ubiparipovic (red card, ejection) 45’
NY: Mike Petke (caution) 68’

New York Red Bulls (2-15-4, 10 pts.): Bouna Coundoul, Alfredo Pacheco, Mike Petke, Leo Krupnik, Jeremy Hall, Luke Sassano, Jorge Rojas (Seth Stammler 72’), Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Macoumba Kandji (John Wolyniec 66’), Dane Richards, Juan Pablo Angel (Nick Zimmerman 59’)

Substitutes Not Used: Danny Cepero, Albert Celades, Khano Smith, Andrew Boyens

Colorado Rapids (7-5-6, 27 pts.): Matt Pickens, Jordan Harvey, Julien Baudet (Scott Palguta 38’), Cory Gibbs, Ugo Ihemelu, Jacob Peterson, Pablo Mastroeni (Kosuke Kimura 64’), Mehdi Ballouchy, Nick LaBrocca, Pat Noonan (Facundo Diz 78’), Omar Cummings

Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Ty Harden, Greg Dalby, Terry Cooke

Referee: Jasen Anno
Referee’s Assistants: Peter Balciunas, Emiliano Monje
4th Referee: Ben Chouaf