Rapids Finally Get 2024 Started With An RMC Win!

It took two and a half games but the Colorado Rapids finally decided to join the 2024 season in the second half Saturday night.  In the process they also frustrated FSL en route to a 2-1 win and reclaiming thee advantage in this year's Rocky Mountain Cup.  Now 45 minutes doesn't erase the other 225 minutes this season (or the 34 games last season) but for the first time in a while there's a bit of hope across the fanbase.  It was a massive win for this club and its fans.

Lets get through that first half though.  It was rough for 30 minutes and not great for the last 15.  We spent more of the first 10 minutes down a man than at full strength due to aa momentary injury to Larraz and a more serious one to Ronan.  One that would force him to be subbed out in the 11th minute for Löffelsend.  For the next 20+ minutes FSL had their run of the game, including a goal in the 20th minute that came right through Löffelsend.  To be fair to Jasper, Mihailovic sent him a ball with no options, at all four cardinal points the closest player was in FSL red.  After the turnover Maxsø seems to have lost track of his man and didn't know he was on his back shoulder, which made the finish from the cross easy.

Colorado slowly worked themselves back into the game and got a lucky break in the 41st minute with a handball in the box by FSL.  Navarro finished the PK (though it looked like Bassett wanted it originally) and the Rapids were a bit lucky to go into the locker room tied at half.  Whatever Armas said or did in their worked, because Colorado was much more focused and aggressive in the next 45.  Bassett finally got on the board in the 70th minute with the Rapids' first goal from open play this season (corner, own goal, PK for the others) and the team managed a combination of good defense and luck to ride out the win.

Other Thoughts:

• I'll admit, 30 minutes in I thought we were looking at another disaster in Sandy and what was likely a lost Rocky Mountain Cup and a cusp of a lost season.  The 2022 and 2023 Rapids would have lost this game.
• FSL was bombing down our left side at will in the first half.  I don't know if the tactics we were playing were pulling Vines out of position or if there was confusion but it was not a good look for Sam.
• Despite being a better team in the second half FSL still had the majority of possession in every 5 minute interval in the half.  That's not a combination that normally leads to a shutout.
• Löffelsend had a rough night and showed why Larraz has been starting the first three games.  He got better as the night went on, though.
• At the end of this one the Rapids were doing to FSL what they normally due to us.  Frustrating them, killing the clock, and working the refs.  Fun to be on the better side of that for the first time in a while.
• Bassett had a great game.  It was a classic Goal Bassett goal where he sets up the initial shot and continues his run into the box to be available for a second chance.  It was also his 100th appearance with the club.
• Good to see Navarro get on the scoresheet.  Only a penalty, but maybe its the jump-start he needs.
• Fernandez got his first start and while he didn't seem to be as involved as you would expect, he popped up at opportune moments to make a play.
• Mihailovic though, still needs to be providing more to justify his DP status & salary.
• There are two more game sin this year's Rocky Mountain Cup,  One in Sandy on Volcano Day (May 18th) and back here in Commerce City on the 55th anniversary of the lunar landing.  Appropriate since this game was on my birthday.  One win or two draws and the Cup is ours.

Man of the Match: Moise Bombito.  I said I'd bring this back when the team changed, and they changed.  A lot of that was due to Bombito's steady play on the back line.  He's gone from college to a Canadian Nat and a MLS starter in a little over a season.