Cummings helps Rapids beat Fire 2-0

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Omar Cummings scored in the 58th minute to help lead the Colorado Rapids to a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Fire on Sunday night.

The teams exchanged scoring chances for much of the game until Cummings found himself alone in the slot. Brian Mullan set up Cummings’ second goal of the year. Cummings has six goals in seven games in his career against Chicago.

Kamani Hill added a goal in added time at the end of the game

Matt Pickens earned his second shutout of the year and his 23rd as a member of the Rapids (3-1-0). He trails only Joe Cannon (25) for the career franchise lead.

Pablo Tornaghi had a strong game in goal for the Fire (1-2-1). Tornaghi has given up four goals in three games.

Dominic Oduro, who has scored the team’s only goals this season, was denied three times by Pickens.

The road team has won only once in the last 15 games in the season series, and this is the only meeting between the teams this year.

The game was scoreless at the break in a half that began when Pickens smothered a rocket shot from the slot by Marco Pappa in the second minute for Chicago. Tornaghi matched it with a diving stop of a shot by Tony Cascio in the 11th minute.

Pappa set up Oduro for a breakaway attempt in the 37th minute. Pickens came well out of the crease to jump on Oduro’s shot. Pickens caught a shot that deflected off several players huddled in front of the net in the 42nd minute.

Colorado failed to convert on a penalty kick from short range after Jeff Larentowicz was fouled. But Martin Rivero’s free kick sailed well over the cross bar in the 55th minute.

Three minutes later, Colorado had a 1-0 lead.

Rivero dumped a pass deep into the Chicago zone. Mullan ran the ball down and fed Cummings in the slot, and Cummings sent a shot past Tornaghi.

Pickens kept Chicago off the scoreboard in the 68th minute. Oduro peppered him with two hard shots 15 seconds apart that Pickens blocked with both hands.