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Deshorn Brown

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DC United acquires Jamaica striker Deshorn Brown

By Nicholas MendolaJun 20, 2017, 6:30 PM EDT
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The transaction was anything but simple, though the rationale for DC United’s acquisition of Deshorn Brown is crystal clear.

The Black-and-Red needed striker help, but was outside of the MLS transfer window. However, USL sides don’t apply here, and Tampa Bay Rowdies had Brown.

[ MORE: NUFC linked with trio ]

Here’s the rub: the Jamaican striker had to pass through MLS allocation order, so DC had to move up from ninth in order to acquire the striker.

Clear cut, hardly. Here’s the whole deal, from a DCU press release:

United acquire number one position in Allocation Ranking from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for the number nine position in Allocation Ranking, $100,000 in general allocation money, $75,000 in targeted allocation money and a 2018 international roster spot.

Brown scored 10 goals in consecutive MLS seasons for Colorado before transferring to Norwegian side Valerenga. He scored 20 goals in 52 appearances between Valerenga and Chinese League One side Shenzhen.

Jamaica’s Deshorn Brown takes post-match selfie with Messi

By Kyle LynchJun 21, 2015, 1:00 PM EDT
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Jamaica lost to Argentina 1-0 yesterday and was eliminated from the 2015 Copa America with three losses from three matches, without scoring a goal.

But that didn’t stop striker Deshorn Brown from grabbing his phone from the sideline and snapping a quick selfie with Lionel Messi after the match.

[ RECAP: Argentina 1-0 Jamaica ]

Brown played college ball at the University of Central Florida and scored 26 goals over two seasons for the Colorado Rapids, before being sold to Norwegian side Valerenga earlier this year.

He took some flack from the media for the selfie considering Jamaica’s poor showing in the tournament, but Brown said it was simply out of admiration for the best player in the world.

I had thought about it before the match so that’s why I took [the phone] to the bench. As soon as [the match] finished, I took the picture.

Messi is the best in the world, a star, and that’s a photo I’ll have as a souvenir all my life.”

When asked about the incident, Messi said he was surprised when Brown asked for a photo, but was also honored.

It may be rare to see, but you would have to imagine many other players wished they had done the same after playing against one of the greatest of all-time.

Report: Colorado Rapids’ Deshorn Brown set for transfer to Norwegian club Valerenga

By Andy EdwardsMar 16, 2015, 7:26 PM EDT
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Colorado Rapids forward Deshorn Brown is close to completing a move from Major League Soccer to Norwegian powerhouse Valerenga, according to multiple reports this weekend and on Monday.

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Brown, who led the Rapids in scoring each of his first two seasons as a pro (10 goals a piece), was reportedly held out of a training session last week as Valerenga managing director Stig-Ove Sandnes was in the States to complete the deal, according to a report by the Denver Post, while the team did not play this past weekend.

For their part in the deal, the Rapids are reportedly in line to collect a healthy transfer fee for the seven-times-capped Jamaican national team forward, according to further reports:

Brown’s age, 24, and high upside, given his exceptional athleticism, size and strength, always made him a likely candidate to make the jump to Europe at some point, though one game into his third pro season is somewhat peculiar — and unfortunate — timing.

It’s hardly an ideal situation, a team losing its leading goalscorer for two years running, but a quick look at the Rapids’ roster shows they may have anticipated Brown’s departure for quite some time. Panamanian attacker Garbiel Torres is likely to move back into his original center forward role, while 20-year-old Charles Eloundou has been a heralded prospect since his acquisition in 2013. Uruguayan forward Vicente Sanchez, 35, scored six league goals for Colorado last year.

MLS Snapshot: Colorado Rapids 0-1 FC Dallas

By Duncan DayOct 18, 2014, 5:35 PM EDT
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One match in 100 words: The game had remained even for the entire first half, as the Colorado Rapids’ defense had hung tough on their home grounds, hoping to ease the ill effects of a 12-game winless run that destroyed the team’s playoff chances. FC Dallas eventually overcame Colorado’s efforts, however, in the 58th minute on a handball call in the penalty box, and from that point on, Oscar Pareja’s side solidified their back line and midfield shape in an attempt to preserve the victory. The Rapids weren’t able to climb back into this match enough to conclude with a draw, and the Toros jumped past Real Salt Lake to third place in the Western Conference.

Goals

Colorado: None

Dallas: Blas Perez 58’ (PK)

Three moments that mattered

58’ — Perez coverts PK for lead — An FC Dallas corner kick skipped off multiple players before hitting Colorado Rapids defender Chris Klute around the hand area, and Blas Perez took the opportunity into his own hands when he easily buried the penalty kick past goalkeeper Clint Irwin. And the reason why this score is so vital: the Rapids’ attack couldn’t manage to desperately breakthrough with an equalizer.

79’ — Watts’ red card cripples Rapids’ chances — Center back Jared Watts picked up a yellow card in the 56th minute, and unfortunately for the Rapids, he saw another yellow in the 79th minute when he appeared to trip up Andres Esobar outside of the box. This call essentially grounded the Rapids at a vital time, as the the late comeback possibility died out after this occurrence.

83’ — Standard header missed by Deshorn Brown — The 23-year-old Rapids forward had the best instance to level the score after the red card to Jared Watts had struck. Brown rose into the air and connected with a solid headed endeavor from Gabriel Torres’ corner kick delivery. He wasn’t able to direct his header on frame, though, as his ball harmlessly sailed over the crossbar despite his well-intended contact. That sequence pinpointed the end of the Rapids drive to bring the contest even.

Lineups

Colorado: Clint Irwin; Marvell Wynne, Zat Knight, Jared Watts, Chris Klute; Marlon Hairston, Nick LaBrocca, Dillon Powers (Davy Armstrong 81’), John Neeskens; Vincente Sanchez (Gabriel Torres 57’), Deshorn Brown (Charles Eloundou 89’)

Dallas: Raul Fernandez; Je-Vaughn Watson, Zach Loyd, Matt Hedges, Jair Benitez (Kellyn Acosta HT); Andres Escobar, Victor Ulloa, Adam Moffat, Fabian Castillo (Ryan Hollingshead 79’); Blas Perez, David Texeira (Tesho Akindele HT)

MLS Roundup: LA rescued by Donovan, Vancouver ends Cascadia streak

By Kyle BonnJun 1, 2014, 11:13 PM EDT
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A trio of MLS games graced our Sunday, and a streak came to an end as Vancouver held off a late surge from Portland to beat the Timbers for the first time ever in Major League Soccer play.

The win for Vancouver puts them third in the Western Conference, but it certainly had more meaning than that. In addition, the win for the Whitecaps ends Portland’s 22-match unbeaten streak, and the Whitecaps will gladly take home these spoils along with the three points.

As for the others, Landon Donovan continues his post-cut tear, beating the Chicago heat to steal a point from the Fire, and the Colorado Rapids clearly didn’t take out enough frustration on Montreal last week and took another victim for a spin by thoroughly trouncing Houston.

Chicago Fire 1-1 Los Angeles Galaxy

Landon Donovan cancelled out a Jeff Larentowicz penalty in the 74th minute and secured a point for Los Angeles.  Things seemed dire as the Chicago defense held the Galaxy to a single shot on target – Donovan’s goal.

The Fire played extraordinary defense, but it ultimately let them down. Defender Chris Ritter, on his full debut for Chicago, made a single mistake, giving the ball away to Robbie Keane and the Galaxy duo made Chicago pay by snatching a point.

Manager Frank Yallop was visibly conflicted after the match, calling it “frustrating points-wise, but encouraging performance-wise.”  Larentowicz bagged his penalty in the 68th minute after Quincy Amarikwa was taken down.

The point for either side allows the Galaxy to draw level with San Jose and even leapfrog them into 6th on goal difference. Meanwhile, Chicago has to settle for no change in the table, while the full spoils could have brought them exactly level with New York in 7th.

Following the match, Keane was publicly furious with the decision to play a 3:00 game in the middle of June as temperatures climbed into the 90’s in Chicago.  It should be fun when he watches the international teams play in Brazil.

Colorado Rapids 3-0 Houston Dynamo

23-year-old Deshorn Brown picked up a first-half brace and Kamani Hill added another as Colorado asserted their dominance over a surprisingly hapless Houston squad.

Colorado controlled 62% of possession and registered 15 shots/9 on target, while holding Houston to a big goose egg in the shots on target category.  Houston didn’t have a shot on goal of any type until Will Bruin clanged the post in the 72nd minute.

The win means Colorado remains unbeaten against Houston in their last eight meetings, and completes a remarkable turnaround following their pair of losses to Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA.  The Rapids have not only bounced back to win their last two, but they’ve done so by a combined 7-1 scoreline.

The three points take Colorado all the way up from eighth to third in the tight Western Conference, and they still hold at least a game in hand on those around them.

Portland Timbers 3-4 Vancouver Whitecaps

Just as things were starting to look up for Portland, they have come crashing down.  On the heels of back-to-back road wins – just their second and third wins of the season – the Timbers returned home and caught Vancouver at the wrong time, hammered by the surging Whitecaps 4-1.

The Whitecaps got a pair of penalties from Pedro Morales, plus Erik Hurtado picked one up deep into first half stoppage time and Jordan Harvey completed the halftime sandwich with one just four minutes after the break.

Vancouver’s win gives them a six-match unbeaten run dating back to a 1-0 loss to Los Angeles in early April. Portland nearly completed a remarkable comeback, but down 4-1 it was too big a mountain to climb. Max Urutti scored in the third minute, and after Vancouver poured on the goals, Will Johnson and Gaston Fernandez did their best to pull back level for Portland, but they fell one short.