With goals from Dominique Badji, Caleb Calvert (2), Marlon Hairston, Jaime Siaj, and Liam Callahan, the Colorado Rapids downed Ventura County Fusion 6-1 in the second and final preseason match in Thousand Oaks, California.
The Rapids got on the scoresheet within the first 10 minutes after Kevin Doyle found a streaking Badji all alone in front of the goal. The Senegalese forward made no mistake and buried his left-footed shot with a nifty one-time finish.
Colorado dominated possession for much of the first half, with Zac MacMath seeing very little action on the defensive end. Doyle, Badji and Peguy Ngatcha all had plenty of chances to add a second but the first group had to settle for a 1-0 lead at the half.
With a completely new lineup for the second 45 minutes, the Rapids opened up the floodgates just three minutes into the half. Hairston sent a ball through to Calvert who calmly tallied his first of the match. Hairston would set up Calvert once more at the 60th minute to make it 3-0 to Colorado.
Nine minutes later, Hairston joined the party by outmuscling a Fusion defender and sending a low shot into the back of the net. Calvert wasn’t done. The California native found himself one-on-one with the keeper and chipped the ball to Liam Callahan who was open in front of goal for the Rapids' fifth.
Jaime Siaj would score the sixth and final tally from the penalty spot after Eric Miller was taken down from behind inside the box. The visitors would not go home empty-handed. After a defensive miscue, the Fusion got their consolation goal in the dying moments of the game with a great finish to the top corner.
BOX SCORE:
Colorado Rapids 6-1 Ventura County Fusion
February 8, 2017 - Thousand Oaks, CA
Scoring Summary:
COL: 7’ Dominique Badji (Kevin Doyle)
COL: 48’ Caleb Calvert (Marlon Hairston)
COL: 60’ Caleb Calvert (Marlon Hairston)
COL: 69’ Marlon Hairston
COL: 74’ Liam Callahan (Caleb Calvert)
COL: 82’ Jaime Siaj (PK)
VCF: 89’
First Half Lineup: Zac MacMath, Dennis Castillo, Jared Watts, Bobby Burling, Marc Burch, Micheal Azira, Richi Perez, Dillon Powers, Peguy Ngatcha, Dominique Badji, Kevin Doyle,
Second Half Lineup: Cody Mizell, Eric Miller, Kortne Ford, Jun Davidson, Mekeil Williams, Sam Cronin, Sam Hamilton, Jaime Siaj, Marlon Hairston, Liam Callahan, Caleb Calvert.
