Lampard's hat-trick leads NYCFC over Rapids
New York - Frank Lampard scored three goals and New York City FC beat the 10-man Colorado Rapids 5-1 on Saturday to end the Rapids' 15-game unbeaten streak.
Frank Lampard scored the first hat-trick in @NYCFC history yesterday! pic.twitter.com/mk4ft4wUTw
— The Lads (@LadsOffThePitch) July 31, 2016
Lampard opened the scoring in the 28th minute, finishing Diego Martinez's cross and Thomas McNamara's redirecting flick with a close-range, right-footed stab. Lampard made it 4-0 on a right-footed shot in the 81st minute and capped City's scoring with a penalty kick in the 84th - his eighth goal of the season and the first hat-trick in NYCFC's history.
Related - Watch: Lampard nicks in opener vs. Rapids to extend scoring run
The Rapids' Micheal Azira was sent off in the 37th minute with his second yellow card and Shkelzen Gashi scored Colorado's lone goal on a deflected free-kick in 92nd minute.
The match was delayed for 40 minutes immediately after Lampard's first goal due to lightning in the area.
City scored its second goal on Tony Taylor's put-back in the 42nd minute - the first two-goal deficit of the season for Colorado. Steven Mendoza made it 3-0 with a takeaway and left-footed shot in the 75th.