Colorado Rapids 1-3 Chivas USA: Rocky Mountain Low

May 11, 2014; Commerce City, CO, USA; Chivas USA midfielder Marvin Chavez (38) poses for photos with fans following the win over the Colorado Rapids at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Chivas USA defeated the Rapids 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

If there was one thing Pablo Mastroeni’s Colorado Rapids didn’t want, it was exerting an obscene form of overconfidence after a positive result over the Los Angeles Galaxy. At Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., Wilmer Cabrera’s Chivas USA stunned the Rapids, 3-1, in surprisingly cold and wet conditions for mid-May.

Here are six things we learned, followed by player ratings, for the match between the Colorado Rapids and Chivas USA.

1. A scoreless first half

The first 45 minutes of the game were quiet, with the Rapids having their share of close calls. Danny Mwanga’s attempt in the 18th minute from a tough angle failed to finish, and three minutes later, Dillon Serna’s volley missed the top right corner. Mwanga again had a look on goal in the 24th minute but his header was wide.

Seven minutes later, it was Mwanga that fancied a goal but Bobby Burling denied him the gamebreaker. Serna’s second major opportunity came in the 33rd minute but was skied over the bar, and in the 35th, Jose Mari was denied by Dan Kennedy, who was returning from suspension. Mari tried it again in the 42nd minute but went wide right. Nick LaBrocca had a chance of his own in the 44th minute but also skied the volley.

All these misses were going to bit Colorado in the tailfeathers, one would imagine.

2. Erick Torres keeps the fires burning

If anyone at Commerce City had the feeling that all the misses from Colorado were going to be costly, they would be right. In the 56th minute, Chivas USA’s Martin Rivero found Erick Torres for his eight goal of the season. Watch this header.

3. Here comes Marvin Chavez

In the 57th minute, Cabrera brought on former Rapids midfielder Marvin Chavez to relieve Agustin Pelletieri, and in the 66th minute, it was off to the races as Chavez opened his scoring account as a member of the Goats.

4. Chavez makes it a brace

If you thought that was bad, take a look at this. Chavez scores his second goal as a member of Chivas USA. Once again, the backline of the Rapids fails to account for him, this time in the 76th minute, and it’s 3-0 Chivas USA.

5. Mere consolation from Deshorn Brown for Colorado

In the second minute of second half stoppage time, Colorado Rapids striker Deshorn Brown finished off a deflection off a Chivas defender to make it 3-1 and the final scoreline. The goal would come too little, too late, but at least the result wouldn’t be as bad as it could’ve been.

6. Vicente Sanchez’s absence key to Colorado’s demise

One player the MLS Multiplex was banking on starting and scoring for Colorado was Vicente Sanchez. Unfortunately, he was a scratch for this game. Had Sanchez been available and Mwanga’s finishing been accurate, this would have been a straightforward result for Colorado. This is a game were Vicente Sanchez’s play was severely missed, and it cost them dearly.

Colorado Rapids Player Ratings

Clint Irwin 3, Thomas Piermayr 3, Marvell Wynne 1, Shane O’Neill 2, Marc Burch 3, Marlon Hairston 3, Jose Mari 4, Nick LaBrocca 3.5, Dillon Serna 4, Danny Mwanga 3.5, DeShorn Brown 5, Charles Eloundou 4, Chris Klute 4, Dillon Powers 4
Chivas USA Player Ratings

Dan Kennedy 7, Donny Toia 6, Carlos Bocanegra 6, Bobby Burling 7, Eric Avila 6, Agustin Pelletieri 5, Oswaldo Minda 5, Leandro Barrera 6, Martin Rivero 7.5, Marco Delgado 6, Erick Torres 9, Marvin Chavez 10, Mauro Rosales 4, Ryan Finley NR