Conor Casey scored in the 25th minute as the Colorado Rapids ended a four-game winless streak with a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.
''It's not the scoring as much as us getting a win,'' Casey said. ''We haven't been playing well and it has been a bit of a scoring drought for us.''
Casey got his sixth goal in his last seven games, and Colorado (6-5-9) also had a score from Scott Palguta for the Rapids' first multigoal game since May 25 at New York.
The Rapids, 1-2-2 over their last five games, are 3-2-5 at home.
''I think the guys can breath a sigh of relief with this win,'' Colorado coach Gary Smith. ''That's what happens when you aren't winning regularly at home.''
Camilo scored the sixth of the year for Vancouver (2-10-8), losers of four consecutive games. The Whitecaps remained winless (0-8-3) on the road.
Vancouver was without midfielder Shea Salinas, who was serving a red card suspension.
''I can't fault our group because we have so many young guys playing with so many veterans out,'' said Vancouver coach Tom Soehn said. ''We got punished for their goals, but I think we are getting close and just need to keep plugging away.''
Each team had a shot on goal in the opening minutes. Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens swatted away a shot by Vancouver's Gershon Koffie and Whitecaps goalie Joe Cannon came out high to catch a shot from the slot by Colorado's Jeff Larentowicz.
Cannon couldn't catch up with Casey's shot from in front of the crease. Casey put Vancouver defenders Alan Rochat and Jonathan Leathers to the ground with a crossover step, transferred the ball to his left foot and sent the ball into the back of the net before Cannon could get it.
''I always ask more of myself on a play like that,'' Cannon said. ''But he is a handful and he is one of the best forwards in the league.''
Pickens blocked Omar Salgado's shot back to him 25 yards out and Salgado's second chance sailed well over the crossbar in the 31st minute.
The start of the second half was delayed 25 minutes by a cloud burst of rain.
Casey missed a wide-open net in the 54th minute. He found a loose ball and left-footed the ball around the left post.
Vancouver's Nizar Khalfan sent a a shot over the net after getting past Drew Moor in the 58th minute.
Palguta made it 2-0 in the 68th minute. Cannon stopped a shot by Casey, but Palguta ran down the rebound and sent a quick shot past the diving goalie.
Camilo spoiled Pickens' shutout bid in the 77th minute, blowing past Palguta and tapping a shot under the goalie's arms.
