Casey scores 3 goals in first half as Rapids beat Chivas USA 4-0

Casey’s 3 goals lift Rapids by Chivas

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. —Conor Casey scored three first-half goals to lead the Colorado Rapids to a 4-0 victory over struggling Chivas USA on Saturday night.

Pablo Mastroeni added a goal for Colorado (8-6-6) and Omar Cummings had three assists as the Rapids avenged a 2-1 loss to Chivas on March 21 and improved to 6-2-3 at home.

Casey had his second three-goal game of the year and third of his career in his first match back after missing the previous two. Colorado’s leading scorer didn’t play in the July 25 game with New York due to yellow-card accumulation and the Aug. 1 matchup against Columbus after injuring his left thigh in the All-Star game.

The loss was the fifth straight for Chivas (8-7-3), which has one goal during the skid. The team has been shut out three consecutive times.

Chivas played without goalkeeper Zach Thornton, out with a strained right quadriceps that he injured in the All-Star game. Replacement Lance Parker made his MLS debut.

The Rapids wasted little time building a 2-0 lead. Mastroeni scored his first goal of the year 26 seconds into the match and Casey sent a shot over Parker’s left shoulder in the fourth minute before Parker could get settled.

Casey made it 3-0, converting a cross from Cummings in the 23rd minute. He then faked Parker out of the crease on a penalty kick at the end of the half and gently nudged the ball into the netting to increase the lead to 4-0.

Defender Shavar Thomas received a red card ejection on the play to further deplete Chivas’ ranks.

Chivas barely tested Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens in the first half and had two shots on goal for the game.

Parker prevented Colorado from scoring a fifth goal when he stopped Cummings on a breakaway in the 49th minute.

Story from: STATS LLC, www.stats.com.