VANCOUVER — It was another heartbreak for the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Defender Axel Sjoberg scored with four minutes gone in extra time as the Colorado Rapids battled from behind twice to manage a 2-2 draw against the Whitecaps in Major League Soccer play Saturday. The tie extended Colorado's unbeaten streak to 13 games.
In their last home game the Whitecaps conceded a goal in extra time that allowed Toronto FC to win the Amway Canadian Championships.
Even though the Whitecaps claimed a point against the Rapids it felt very much like a loss.
"It's a lack of composure, a lack of finishing off the games," said Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted. "Today they were a better team most of the game but we scrapped it out.
"At the end of the day, when you are up 2-1 four minutes into overtime, we need to see the games out."
Sjoberg's second goal of the season silence a sellout crowd of 22,120 at BC Place Stadium who believed victory was in Vancouver's grasp.
Striker Kevin Doyle started the play with a pass against the run of the play from the side of the net. Sjoberg headed the ball past Ousted.
For Vancouver coach Carl Robinson it was like watching a bad movie he'd seen before.
"We just have to cut out the errors," he said. "Football lasts for 90-plus minutes.
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"in two (of vancouver's last three) games we have been bitten on the backside a little by conceding in the last minute. until the whistle blows, you have to keep your concentration levels."</div>
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the whitecaps looked to have the game in hand when christian techera scored on a penalty kick in the 87th minute to give vancouver a 2-1 lead. the penalty was awarded after techera was hauled down from behind in the penalty box by colorado defender jared watts.</div>
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doyle, the republic ireland international, scored colorado's other goal in the 59th minute.</div>
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defender kendal waston opened the scoring for vancouver in the 10th minute.</div>
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the rapids controlled possession for over 67 per cent of the game and forced ousted to make some big saves.</div>
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"i don't think we deserved to win the game," said robinson. "i think colorado deserved the credit the way it panned out.</div>
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"with us conceding the goal in the last minute, i was disappointed but i think it was a fair result."</div>
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the single point moved the whitecaps (7-8-4) into a fifth place tie with kansas city in the mls's western conference. the whitecaps are 1-3-2 in their last six games. they haven't won an mls game at home since may 11.</div>
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the rapids, who haven't lost an mls game in three months, remain second in the west with a 9-2-7 record. colorado has allowed a league-low 13 goals.</div>
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"the game of soccer is riddled with different moments that have you riding an emotional roller coaster," said rapids coach pablo mastroeni, a former u.s. national team member.</div>
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"for a good part of the 70 minutes i thought we played some of our best stuff all year. we moved the ball well, defended well, didn't let them get in rhythm. overall a draw might be a fair result."</div>
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it was the third-consecutive tie for colorado and its fifth draw in the last seven games. the rapids two previous games ended in 0-0 draws.</div>
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one worrying trend for the whitecaps is they have allowed two or more goals in six of their last seven games.</div>
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"it's very disturbing," said ousted. ""right now we are still searching for the answer."</div>
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the rapids went a man down in the 71st minute when defender eric miller was given a red card for a hard tackle on vancouver captain pedro morales.</div>
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