Erpen helps Rapids earn draw against 10-man K.C.

Soccer Betting Lines

07/23/2007 - Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eddie Johnson scored a pair of goals in the first half but a goal by Colorado's Facundo Erpen in the 77th minute earned the Rapids a 2-2 draw against a 10-man Kansas City Wizards team at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.

Johnson tallied in the 24th minute, but had his opener wiped out by a Jovan Kirovski penalty kick. Johnson then scored his league-leading 12th goal just one minute later, but Erpen leveled the match for good after Kansas City's Jose Burciaga Jr. was sent off in the second half.

The Rapids came out on the offensive and took the game to Kansas City in the early going. Nicolas Hernandez had a couple of chances to open the scoring as he got a good look at goal in the seventh minute but put his shot wide of the net from the edge of the area.

Hernandez then sent a glancing header on target but it was an easy save for K.C. keeper Kevin Hartman. Herculez Gomez then had a go at net one minute later as he took possession on the left, beat Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad and moved in on goal. He tried to bend a shot around Hartman and into the top right corner but the ball missed the target by inches.

Despite the early pressure, the home side responded in the 24th minute to get on the board first. Sasha Victorine played a pass down the right wing for Davy Arnaud, who turned and drove a cross along the ground into the box. Johnson was making a run to the near post and he struck the ball first-time inside the near post, giving the Wizards a 1-0 lead.

The teams were level in the 39th minute, however, as Conrad was whistled for bringing down Gomez inside the area. Kirovski stepped up to the spot and drilled his penalty kick down the middle, past a diving Hartman.

Five minute later, Johnson grabbed his second goal of the match before halftime. Arnaud once again played a role in Johnson's goal as he carried the ball into the box and struck a left-footed shot across the face of goal past keeper Bouna Coundoul. The ball struck the post and caromed back out but Johnson was on hand for the easy tap-in and the home side took a lead into halftime.

The hosts had a chance to add to their lead in the 62nd minute when Arnuad sprang Johnson free with a pass through the middle of the defense. Coundoul came off his line and outside the box to challenge Johnson, but he could only trip up the K.C. forward, earning a yellow card. The Wizards failed to take advantage of the free-kick opportunity, and soon were reduced to 10 men.

Burciaga went after a loose ball inside the box that was snapped up by Coundoul. Both players went to the ground and the keeper appeared to kick out at the Wizards defender. Burciaga then rose to his feet and went after Coundoul, earning himself an ejection.

The Rapids took advantage of their numerical edge in the 77th off of a corner kick. Terry Cooke swung a cross into the box at the near post, and Erpen rose up in a crowd and sent a glancing header into the back of the net.

The Wizards were not done, however, and they pushed for the winner even though they were playing down a man.

Arnaud ripped a shot wide from outside the area in the 87th minute, and then had a great chance to win the match in stoppage time. He took a pass 30 yards from goal and went on a weaving run into the box, beating two defenders in the process. He then tried to slid a shot underneath the keeper, but Coundoul got just enough of the ball to keep it out, saving a point for the Rapids.