Four men got on the score sheet at Dicks Sporting Goods Park outside Denver. Clearly, the two Colorado forwards are happier tonight, as their team emerged with the victory that puts the Rapids so tantalizingly close to booking an official playoff spot. (If San Jose doesn’t beat Los Angeles on Sunday, then the Rapids are in.)
So even though the Whitecaps are surely a little bummed about being officially eliminated, there’s still something interesting of note for their goal-scorers on Saturday, too. We’ll start with them:
Vancouver Whitecaps’ forward Kekuta Manneh: The 18-year-old striker followed up on last week’s hat trick with yet another stunner, a beautiful shot from four steps outside the penalty area that was equal parts awareness and skill. Seriously, where was this kid just a little earlier in the season? Maybe if Martin Rennie had used Manneh a little more, he wouldn’t be wondering so hard tonight about his continued employment around BC Place.
Vancouver Whitecaps’ forward Camilo: Now that a third season is about to come and go without a shred of playoff success for the Whitecaps, they’ll be looking for anything to celebrate for 2013. A Golden Boot for Camilo would certainly qualify. Camilo has 19 goals, still one off the pace being set by Montreal’s Marco Di Vaio and Chicago’s Mike Magee (who had one each on Saturday to reach 20).
Yes, his goal Saturday was from the penalty spot – but so was Magee’s.
Colorado Rapids forward Deshorn Brown: The LA Galaxy’s Gyasi Zardes is making a late push, but the Rapids’ young Jamaican striker probably wrapped up Rookie of the Year tonight with another goal and assist. That gives him a team-leading 10 goals and five assists, numbers that will be painfully hard to ignore for anyone serious about picking a rookie of the year. (And even if a voter doesn’t like Brown for some reason, Rapids’ midfielder Dillon Powers probably has as strong a case as Zardes.)
Colorado Rapids forward Gabriel Torres: I don’t reckon that any of us can imagine the disappointment every Panamanian player must have felt Tuesday down in Panama City as the World Cup dream crumbled hideously beneath the crushing weight of two late U.S. goals. And yet Torres was able to put the tremendous heartbreak behind him and score two vital goals for his new club.
There was nothing wrong with the first goal from Torres, signed in August; that was a well-hit penalty kick.
But his second goal was an absolute stunner, a 77th-minute match-winner that Torres cannoned into the upper left corner.
Here are all five goals from all four goal scorers at DSG Park:
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