Colorado Hands Salsa Its First League Defeat

The Colorado Foxes defeated the Salsa, 2-1--the visitor’s first defeat in American Professional Soccer League play--Saturday in front of 2,100 at Englewood Stadium in Englewood, Colo.

Wearing a cast on his right arm, Paulinho, the Salsa’s star forward from Brazil, played for the first time since dislocating his elbow three weeks ago. He did not score.

Dale Ervine gave the Salsa (4-1) a 1-0 lead 25 minutes into the game by scoring an unassisted goal.

Scott Benedetti scored 13 minutes into the second half to tie the score, 1-1, for Colorado (5-1). The Foxes’ Taifour Diane, last season’s APSL most valuable player, scored the game-winning goal with eight minutes remaining.

“They never let us get into a flowing rhythm,” Salsa Coach Rildo Menezes said. “Some of (our) fatigue was due to the altitude but they really applied the pressure to us the whole game.”

The Salsa’s next home game is June 13 against the Vancouver 86ers (5-1). Kickoff is 4:05 p.m.