Tim Howard served as a $2.5 million decoration for 120 minutes Sunday. As the Colorado Rapids limited the visiting LA Galaxy to one shot on goal, the 37-year-old bided his time.
But when the drama of a penalty shootout thrust Howard into the spotlight, the veteran was worth every penny.
READ MORE: Howard leads Rapids past Galaxy on PKs
In denying Ashley Cole and Jeff Larentowicz with a pair of lunging stops, Howard steered the Rapids to a 3-1 shootout win that ousted the Galaxy and landed Colorado in the Western Conference final. While the Rapids have built an identity as a small-market club that grinds out results despite a dearth of stars, Howard reminded fans Sunday that he is, in fact, the biggest name active in American men's soccer.
It's easy to perceive Howard as a luxury signing for the Rapids, considering he only started 17 matches after his midseason arrival and saw backup Zac MacMath post a sterling 0.76 goals against average in his absence. The same could be said of Jermaine Jones, who produced when healthy but saw a suspension, injury and international duty limit him to nine appearances this season.
While the two U.S. national team starts were minor pieces of the puzzle as the Rapids compiled a 15-6-13 record — nearly good enough for the Supporters' Shield — it has become abundantly clear that they will be crucial to any MLS Cup run this fall.
Although Jones' contributions didn't show up in the box score, the 35-year-old provided heart and determination over 83 minutes in central midfield Sunday — his first start since July 4. It's a performance that contributed to the Rapids' 1-0 second-leg victory (forcing the 1-1 aggregate draw), and it bodes well for his hopes of starting for the U.S. against Mexico on Friday in Columbus, Ohio.
We already know that Howard will get the nod in that match, which opens the all-important "Hexagonal" stage of World Cup qualifying. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann confirmed as much upon unveiling his roster Sunday, saying Howard's fine form has earned the No. 1 shirt while Brad Guzan toils on the Middlesbrough bench.
But you can't be so sure about Galaxy star Giovani dos Santos, who will be joining Howard and Jones on the Colorado-to-Ohio route. For large stretches of 2016, Dos Santos lived up to the hype — a 14-goal, 12-assist campaign is nothing to sneeze at, after all. One could even make the argument that he deserves a slot on the MLS Best XI.
His tendency to drift in and out of matches, however, remains a concern. After scoring a deflected header to win the first leg against Colorado, Dos Santos largely was a non-factor Sunday. The combination plays didn't come off. The defensive work rate wasn't there, either. And most notably, he sent the Galaxy spiraling in the shootout with a penalty that flew over the bar.
Dos Santos waited nearly a year to play for Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio, with his debut coming last month. Considering the wealth of attacking options at Osorio's disposal, will he be comfortable leaning on Dos Santos on Friday?
Maybe. Maybe not. But it's safe to say his counterpart will feel good about turning to Howard and Jones. For all that those veterans have accomplished, the coming weeks — from World Cup qualifying to the Western Conference final — have the makings of a banner month.
Sure, their careers may be winding down. But you can count on at least one more notable chapter, for club and country.
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