’Caps lose second straight as Hairston stars for Rapids

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado — Marlon Hairston had a goal and an assist to help the Colorado Rapids beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 on Saturday night.

The Rapids (11-3-8) rebounded after their franchise-record 15-game undefeated streak was snapped in a 5-1 loss at New York City last Saturday.

Hairston opened the scoring in the 44th minute with a closerange finish on Marc Burch’s cross. It was Hairston’s third goal in his last four games.

Dominique Badji finished Hairston’s low cross to give the Rapids a 2-0 lead in the 60th minute.

Colorado moved within three points of MLS-leading FC Dallas and remained in second place in the overall standings.

The Whitecaps (8-10-6) lost their second in a row and are winless in their last four. MONTREAL — Matteo Mancosu is making an excellent first impression with the Montreal Impact.

The Italian striker acquired on loan from Bologna in July came through in his first Major League Soccer start with the lone goal in the Impact’s 1-0 victory over the struggling Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Going into the game, the 31year-old Mancosu had scored a goal and added an assist in three appearances off the bench in a total of only 52 minutes.

Given the start with star striker Didier Drogba sitting out a one-game suspension, it took him 76 minutes to score against a hard-working Dynamo side.