Rapids unable to get offense settled, fall to D.C.
The Colorado Rapids (4-4-3) fell to D.C. United (3-3-5) 2-1 Saturday night. Colorado was unable to get their offense implemented throughout the match, and the defense struggled to uphold crosses near the penalty area.
The Rapids were without Head Coach Chris Armas as he spent the morning in Texas for his Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Armas had technical difficulties with his flight and couldn’t attend the game, so Assistant Coach Chris Little assumed managing duties for the night.
Four minutes into the match Colorado captain Djorjde Mihailovic blasted a shot towards goal that ended up hitting off the right post.
Two minutes later D.C. winger Hosei Kijima unleashed a curling shot that beat Rapids keeper Zack Steffen but rang off the cross bar denying the Eagles the first score.
In the 43rd minute, Colorado strikers Rafael Navarro and Darren Yapi had a two-on-two with D.C.'s center backs, and Navarro tested the keeper with a near post shot but it was saved by Luis Barraza. The Brazilian regained control of the ball and chipped in a pass across goal to Yapi who landed a header past the endline to give Colorado the lead.
Four minutes into first half stoppage-time, D.C. United striker Christian Benteke headed a cross into the net to tie the game. A couple minutes later Kijima received a deflected cross near Colorado’s penalty spot and blasted a shot that evaded off of Steffen and rolled into the net.
Going into halftime the Rapids were trailing 2-1 after allowing two stoppage time goals. Throughout the first 10 games of the season, allowing scores in the final five minutes of halves had been a recurring theme that continued Saturday.
“It’s frustrating conceding again late in the half,” defensive midfielder Oliver Larraz said after the game. “I don't know why this is happening, there's not really a common denominator… It’s something we will look at.”
After an action-packed first half, the second settled down and became a chess match between the Rapids offense and D.C.’s defense.
After having scored in three straight games, Mihailovic looked frustrated while battling with the Eagle’s backline. The Rapids were fouled 20 times but had no clear chances that came on the subsequent free kicks.
“I don't think we did enough to win the football game,” Little said after the game. “That's disappointing… we just lacked the quality to do the details and win the game.”
The Rapids head back home to Dicks Sporting Goods Park to take on San Jose (4-1-6) Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. MT, looking for their first win in three games. In their first meeting earlier in the season Steffen shined as the Rapids defeated the Quakes 2-1 in San Jose. The game can be streamed on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.