By JOSE M. ROMERO
The Colorado Rapids first celebrated themselves, then picked up right where they left off last season and scored a resounding 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers in the MLS opener for both clubs and inaugural game for Portland Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
It didn't take long after the 2010 championship banner was unfurled for the Rapids to get on the board. Jeff Larentowicz was in the right place to clean up a loose ball set up by a brilliant endline run and pass by Omar Cummings to put Colorado up 1-0 in the eighth minute.
That was the start of a long night for Portland defenders Rodney Wallace, Kevin Goldthwaite, Steve Purdy and Eric Brunner, who had trouble containing the Rapids' star forward tandem of Conor Casey and Cummings and midfielder Jamie Smith.
Forward Jorge Perlaza had a chance to equalize for the Timbers at the 9:02 mark of the first half but his attempt to bloop the ball over goalkeeper Matt Pickens sailed high. The Timbers did manage the first MLS goal in team history, and it went to forward Kenny Cooper in the 80th minute on a free kick that looked to have scooted under a wall of players and past Pickens.
Cummings caused Portland fits several times. In the 29th minute he got behind Brunner to be in position to kick in a deflected flick from Casey and off Timbers keeper Adin Brown's hands. Not two minutes later, Smith fired from long range (top of the arc) and found success, beating Brown.
It should come as little surprise that Cummings was a major factor; he has now scored a goal in four straight Rapids openers.
The Timbers had trouble getting the ball up from the midfield into good shooting range and the Rapids made it look easy in possession, no doubt too easy for Timbers coach John Spencer's liking. The fiery coach has some work to do to get his team prepared and restore its confidence for next week at Toronto.
