Last updated 20:18, June 24 2018
DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP
Colorado Rapids defender Tommy Smith found his goalscoring touch with two in as many matches to help his side to a rare victory.
Colorado Rapids defender Tommy Smith found his goalscoring touch with two in as many matches to help his side to a rare victory.
Tommy Smith gave his former All Whites coach Anthony Hudson some breathing space as his stoppage time winner for Colorado Rapids ended a horror winless streak.
The All Whites defender scored in the seventh minute of added time to clinch a 3-2 home win over Minnesota United in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday (Sunday NZT).
Smith signed with the Rapids from Ipswich Town in January and opened his goalscoring account for the club in last weekend's 2-2 draw with Chicago.
Former All Whites coach Anthony Hudson's Colorado Rapids had their first win since April 14.
That result ended an eight-match losing streak for the Rapids whose last win was on April 14.
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Hudson was appointed Rapids coach in November after the All Whites lost to Peru in the World Cup qualifying playoffs.
He took a few familiar faces with him, with Neil Emblen and Darren Bazeley joining as assistant coaches, Jase Kim coming on board as a video analyst and All Whites trio Smith, Deklan Wynne and Kip Colvey all signing up.
But the team's form slump reached desperate levels in recent weeks as Hudson's job and coaching methods came under scrutiny.
Smith's late winner took the Rapids' MLS season record to three wins, three draws and nine losses.