Chivas USA 2, Rapids 2
Reserve Laurent Courtois scored his first goal of the year in the 86th minute and Chivas USA salvaged a 2-2 tie with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
Courtois entered the game midway through the second half and converted a pass from Michael Lahoud.
''I don't have the hardest shot,'' Courtois said. ''Somehow it managed to get into the net.''
Juan Pablo Angel also scored for Chivas USA (7-8-10) after being acquired this week from the Los Angeles Galaxy for a third-round pick in next year's supplemental draft.
''When you look at the overall impact on the day, he's already added to our game,'' Chivas coach Robin Fraser said about Angel. ''He's so good with the ball that he draws defenders and gaps open up.''
Angel gave himself mid-range marks.
''It is extremely difficult when you have only three training sessions to get ready,'' Angel said. ''I'm still trying to adjust to and understand the way the team works.''
Jeff Larentowicz had the apparent go-ahead goal on a header in the 69th minute. Caleb Folan had the game's first goal for Colorado (10-6-11), which extended its unbeaten streak to six games.
The Rapids had won the last four meetings between the teams, all by shutout, outscoring Chivas 9-0.
Defender Drew Moor has played the full 90 minutes in the last 68 consecutive regular-season games, breaking a tie for the MLS career record among field players set by Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes when he played for the Rapids and then Kansas City from 1998-2000.
The Rapids had an edge in scoring chances, but settled for a 1-1 tie at the break.
Moments after Folan's header barely missed the left post after taking a pinpoint pass from Kosuke Kimura he didn't miss a second chance in the 13th minute.
Teammate Pablo Mastroeni took control of the ball in the outer edge of zone and sent a cross to the front of the goal. Unguarded, Folan's header went past the dive of goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
The Goats didn't have a shot on goal until Nick LaBrocca found Angel in the middle of the field in the 36th minute. Angel juked goalkeeper Matt Pickens to the ground before tucking the ball into the right corner of the net.
''He has something to prove,'' Colorado midfielder Sanna Nyassi said of Angel. ''Things didn't work out for him in L.A. and he showed tonight he can still play and is a good player.''
Chivas USA had not scored against Colorado in 427 minutes before Angel's goal. The Goats hadn't scored against the Rapids since winning the 2009 season opener 2-1 at The Home Depot Center.
Sanna Nyassi broke free for a shot from the slot that was easily caught by Kennedy in the 37th minute. Nyassi missed a wide-open net with a left-footed shot in the 41st minute.
''I had my opportunities,'' Nyassi said. ''You have to cash in when you get them.''
Neither team had a scoring chance in the second half until the 64th minute. Courtois was open long enough to fire a shot from the box that missed the left post by several feet.
Colorado turned its first shot on goal in the second half into Larentowicz's go-ahead goal in the 69th minute. Nyassi sent a corner kick into the middle of the pack and Larentowicz muscled in to get a header off the beat Kennedy.
Courtois wouldn't allow it to stand. He got loose and dribbled a shot past Pickens.
The Rapids won the first meeting, 1-0, on March 26.