2:2 New York Colorado Henry Rodgers Larentowicz 2 05.25.11 · League

Six frantic minutes midway through the first half saw Metro and Colorado exchange four goals, accounting for all the scoring in the match. The tie, New York's second straight 2:2 result, extends the winless streak to four games and should be seen as a missed opportunity as Gold Cup absences will start piling up. Thierry Henry and Luke Rodgers scored the Metro goals.

Dane Richards, the first such absentee, was replaced in the starting lineup by Mehdi Ballouchy. Rafa Marquez, who will leave soon, decided to sit the game out after picking up an injury, with Carlos Mendes starting in his place. On the other hand, Titi Henry, clearly not 100%, made the start, sending Juan Agudelo back to the bench.

The game was scoreless until the 27th minute, when Roy Miller was called for bringing down Andre Akpan in what looked to be outside the penalty area. However, the referee pointed to the spot. Greg Sutton did great, stopping Jeff Larentowicz's penalty, but sadly, the ball rebounded right back to the Rapids' ginger-haired midfielder, and this time, a conversion was much easier.

Two minutes later, a brilliant play up the left wing, from Ballouchy to Joel Lindpere to Dwayne De Rosario saw the latter center the ball to an onrushing Henry. The now-brilliant Frenchman's shot from just outside the box slit past a befuddled Matt Pickets to tie the game.

Three minutes later, Colorado won a free kick just outside Metro's penalty area. Pablo Mastroeni kicked the ball to the side, where Larentowicz sent a ball on goal. Greg Sutton, quite possibly daydreaming of cool Canadian evenings, did not see it coming, freezing only to see the ball end up in the net. For those keeping count, and we are, this is seven goals allowed in three games, an astonishingly awful six of them coming off set pieces.

But a minute later, it was tied once again. This time, it was Miller finding Rodgers in the penalty area. Pickens came out of the net, trying to thwart the attack, but the bald Englishman deftly lifted the ball over the Rapid goalkeeper, scoring from a difficult acute angle.

While the scoring was limited to those six minutes, the quality chances were not. Sanna Nyassi rang the ball off the woodwork, and Tim Ream did well to clear the ball out of the penalty area after Sutton came out to save a Conor Casey shot. Rodgers almost had the game winner midway through the second, when he finally beat the offside trap after a brilliant long ball by De Rosario. Pickens came out once again, but this time, his hand tipped the ball wide.

So, another tie. And soon enough, there will be no Ream, Marquez, De Rosario, and Agudelo. Let's hope that these lost points don't end up costing Metro in the long haul...

Lineup: Sutton, Miller, Ream, Mendes, Solli, Tainio, Lindpere, Ballouchy, De Rosario, Rodgers, Henry. Subs: Agudelo.