Frisco, Texas: FC Dallas Beat Colorado Rapids 3-1 as Kaick Scores in the 88th to Seal the No. 2 Seed

FC Dallas beat the Colorado Rapids 3-1 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Saturday night, scoring three unanswered goals in the final 15 minutes of MLS Decision Day to close the regular season.

The win gave Dallas a 16-8-10 record and 58 points, and second place in the Western Conference. Dallas will face the seventh seeded Portland Timbers in a best of three first round series in the MLS Cup Playoffs, and will host Game 1. Colorado finished 12-15-7 with 43 points and in 12th place. The Rapids could have reached the playoffs with a win, and instead miss the postseason.

Colorado led, and held on for a long time

Morgan Whittaker put Colorado ahead in the 47th minute, finishing a first touch shot off a cross from Georgi Minoungou, who had come on at the start of the second half. The goal was Whittaker's fourth in four games, and his sixth in 10 regular season matches since he signed with Colorado in early September. For close to half an hour, that one goal was enough. Dallas pushed and pushed, and Rapids goalkeeper Nico Hansen made seven saves on the night. Dallas finished with 27 shots to Colorado's 6, and a 10 to 1 edge in shots on target. Dallas goalkeeper Daniel did not have to make a save.

Three goals in the last 15 minutes

Joaquin Valiente tied the game in the 75th minute. He put away a first touch shot off a cross played by Kaick, whose pass on the goal was described by Field Level Media as a brilliant rainbow pass. Kaick then scored the winner himself in the 88th minute. The Associated Press reported that he cut back to evade a defender and blasted a shot from the top of the penalty box under the crossbar and inside the right post to make it 2-1. Big D Soccer reported that the long ball on the play came from Nolan Norris. Santiago Moreno capped the scoring in the second minute of stoppage time, and Field Level Media reported that Logan Farrington set up that goal.

What it means

Colorado entered the match in ninth place in the West and would have clinched a postseason place with a victory. Field Level Media reported that the Rapids were undone by a 1-3-5 record in their last nine regular season matches and a season long struggle on the road, where they finished 2-11-4. Dallas, by contrast, go into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed. One concern for Dallas is defender Sebastien Ibeagha, who left the match in the 57th minute with an apparent leg injury. Dallas host Portland for Game 1 of the first round. Colorado's season is complete.