Bell Unheard

The Rapids aren't making this easy, but they are making it fun.  For the second game of the last three we scored a last minute goal to change the outcome of the game.  Last night Toluca bossed the game from start to finish but struggled to get the ball in the back of the net. 22 shots, 6 on target, 1 went in.   Meanwhile the Rapids had 4 total shots, only 2 shots on target and finished both of them.  Toluca outpossessed the "home" side 63-37, out cornered them 5-3, and had over 200 more passes.  But the only number that matters is the one on the scoreboard.

Both Rapids goals came against the run of play.  Shortly before halftime Bassett made a cross-field diagonal pass to a streaking Vines.  Sammy, after honestly a horrible first half, put a perfect one-touch on it to send it across the front of goal for sliding Navarro to finish.  Toluca were stunned that after all their work they were going to go into the break down a goal.  Rapids fans were a bit stunned too.

The second half was more of the same, Toluca hammering away and not being able to finish.  They did finally level the score on an absolute golazo.  A pretty non-threatening possession around the halfway line broke the offside trap down the right side.  Hard to tell who kept him onside but it could have been anyone on the backline other than Abubakar.  The eventual cross was ever so slightly behind Paulinho but he wasn't bothered.  He did a simple 360 spin, back heeling the ball past Steffen at the far post.  A jaw-dropping move to beat Zack.

After that it was really looking like PKs and with Navarro being subbed out and Bombito being sold I was wondering who our 5 kickers were going to be.  But the Rapids didn't hear no bell.  In the 91st minute cross from Ronan found an unmarked Mihailovic who headed it home for the lead.  VAR, however, had other ideas, correctly noting that Ronan was offside when he received the pass.  Back to the penalty discussion only for Mihailovic to change positions 2 minutes later.  Djordje was on the outside sending in a cross.  A Toluca defender redirected it towards the goal but it may not have gotten there if not for Yapi crashing in to finish it (keeper might have been able to save it).  Rapids win 2-1 and move into the quarterfinals after getting results against 3-straight Liga MX teams.

That next step is against Club America in LA on Saturday.  CA is a whole new level for this team and its going to take everything we have to face them.  But we'll worry about that later.  First lets just enjoy that the Rapids have made it to the quarterfinals when teams like Chivas, Cruz Azul, Pumas, Miami, Cincinnati, and the Galaxy are sitting at home.

Man of the Match: Zack Steffen.  2018 Steffen is back in the Leagues Cup.  Just a brick wall that has only been beaten by one Liga MX goal in open play and it took an all-time goal to do it.