(Reuters) - Jamaica striker Omar Cummings scored in the dying moments of the first half as the champion Colorado Rapids defeated the Columbus Crew 1-0 in their Major League Soccer wild-card playoff game Thursday.
It is the second consecutive season the Rapids have defeated Columbus in the playoffs after they won last year's Eastern Conference semi-final on penalties.
Cummings rifled a right foot shot past Columbus goalkeeper William Hesmer in first half stoppage time after some superb buildup work by midfielder Brian Mullan and defender Kosuke Kimura.
The Crew's best chance to equalize came early in the second half when top scorer Andres Mendoza's shot slammed into the cross bar.
The Rapids will now host Sporting Kansas City, who topped the Eastern Conference, at home in the first leg of the semi-finals Sunday.
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario. Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
