By STEVE BRISENDINE STATS MLS Correspondent
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (STATS) - The Colorado Rapids haven’t won in four matches. Then again, they haven’t lost in their last three. And so long as they’re still in the thick of the MLS Western Conference playoff race, they’ll focus on the positive.
“It was a very determined, very resilient effort,” coach Gary Smith said after Saturday night’s scoreless draw against the Kansas City Wizards. “We add another point to our tally, and it takes us back home next week to keep our unbeaten run going and hopefully get three points.”
Forward Conor Casey, who leads the league with 15 goals but was kept in check by Kansas City’s aggressive defense, agreed.
“We’ve still got things in our own hands,” Casey said. “Obviously, we’d have liked to win the last couple of games, but it’s not like we’re getting blown out. We’re still in the mix.”
Preston Burpo recorded his first shutout in more than a year for Colorado (10-8-9), which has settled for ties in its last three matches.
Burpo, a veteran backup filling in for the injured Matt Pickens (right knee sprain), made three saves for his first shutout since a 2-0 home victory over Chicago on Sept. 14, 2008. He got some clutch help from midfielder Kosuke Kimura, who cleared Zoltan Hercegfalvi’s shot after a corner kick in the 80th minute.
“It was a terrific stop,” Smith said. “We’ve decided to start putting guys on the post again, and I think you do save one or two goals a year by putting them there.”
Kansas City’s Kevin Hartman had three saves for his seventh shutout of the year.
The Wizards (8-11-7) have lost just once in its last five matches but are still stuck in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
“Everything’s a must win,” Wizards interim coach Peter Vermes said. “We took today as a must win as well. The other results are what they are. We have to focus on our last four games.”
Each team had plenty of chances, but neither could finish. The Wizards outshot the Rapids 18-12, with a 4-3 advantage in shots on goal.
The last good chance for either team to win came halfway through second-half stoppage time, when the Wizards’ Kei Kamara broke free on the left wing and fired a long cross into the penalty area. Davy Arnaud made a long run at a dead sprint but could not connect with the pass.
“We thought the goal was going to come, and we put ourselves in good spots,” Arnaud said. “It was one of those nights that seemed like it wasn’t meant to be, but we played in the right manner and I think it was an entertaining game in the way we approached it.
“If we do that every time out, we’re going to win more often than not.”