CARSON, Calif. -- It's safe to say that Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Joe Nasco had one of the worst nights of his career, and he did it all without playing a single minute.
Just 34 seconds into the game, Alan Gordon skirted past Nasco during a scramble in front of goal, but before he could get a shot off at an empty net, Nasco yanked down the forward. Despite the extremely early juncture of the game, referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot and handed out a red card for Nasco which was the quickest red card in league history.
Gyasi [Zardes] and [Alan] Gordon made great runs across the box and Todd [Dunivant] put in a great cross in front of the goal and when you do that, good things happen," said Landon Donovan. "Gordon did a good job to get his feet on it and was going to score and got pulled down, so that’s part of the game and it’s unfortunate for them."
Prior to Nasco's foible, the previous holder of the dubious distinction was former New York Red Bulls defender Carlos Johnson, who was sent off in the second minute of a match with the then-Kansas City Wizards back on April 23, 2009.
Although Nasco will likely have to carry the distinction for some time, he got little sympathy from the home side.
"If the goalkeeper doesn’t do that, then they don’t get the red card," said defender Omar Gonzalez. "That’s the way the game is played, those are the rules. It’s tough that’s the way it went down, but that had to happen."
