Music: {allcanada} Rapids score in 86th minute to beat Toronto FC

Saturday, May 4, 2013

{allcanada} Rapids score in 86th minute to beat Toronto FC

Avatar (Blu-ray) (With DVD) (Special Edition) (Widescreen)

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Edson Buddle scored in the 86th minute to lift the Colorado Rapids to a 1-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday night.

After finding the ball just outside the crease when Toronto defender Logan Emory gave it up, Buddle easily scored into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.

Colorado (3-4-3) has scored four goals in its past five games, though the Rapids have been outscored 9-8 overall this season.

Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin outplayed Toronto's Joseph Bendik to improve to 3-2-2 with three shutouts since taking over for the injured Matt Pickens.

Toronto (1-4-4) has lost consecutive games after tying four straight, and dropped to 0-3-1 on road. Toronto had a four-game unbeaten streak against Colorado, losing to the Rapids for the first time since April 18, 2010.

The teams traded quality scoring chances in the first half. Bendik came well out of the crease to stop a shot by Nick LaBrocca in the 11th minute.

Moments later Irwin came up big for the Rapids. Robert Earnshaw broke free for a shot from the high slot and Irwin got enough of the ball to slow down its progress and defender Christopher Klute beat two Toronto players to get to it before they got a chance to tip it in the 14th minute.

Irwin stopped a left-footed shot by Earnshaw in the 18th minute and then escaped Toronto's best chance of the game in the 29th minute as Ryan Richter's cross set up Earnshaw with a wide open net from inside the penalty box but Earnshaw's shot sailed into the stands.

Bendik lunged to block a shot ticketed for inside the right post by Dillon Powers in the 43rd minute.

Irwin got help from Shane O'Neill in the 61st minute as he got in the way of Luis Silva's shot from 20 yards out.

The game remained scoreless when Colorado's Martin Rivero deflected a shot over the crossbar in the 64th minute. Nathan Sturgis' free kick went over the crossbar in the 66th minute.

Earnshaw missed another chance in the 84th minute.