Shoe Is On The Other Foot In Second Home Match

Well, now we know how Portland felt at the end of our last home game.  A last minute goal cost the Rapids 2 points and their first win of the season after what was another improved performance (compared to 2018).  As predicted it was an end to end game.  Somewhat sloppy, it wasn't great soccer, but it was competitive and the Rapids again showed a drive they were missing last season.  That pressure led to the Rapids goal when Rubio forced a poor pass from the Sporting goalkeeper and had an empty net to score on.  Sadly an ill-timed foul and a goal of the week candidate from the ensuing free kick meant the Rapids ended up with 1 point when they felt like they could have had 3.

Random Musings:

• Lets start with the obvious, Blomberg's red card.  His first yellow was right in line with what the ref had been calling all night.  He came in late and even if he didn't get a piece of the KC player with his foot he certainly made sure to send him tumbling.  His second yellow card was stupid all the way around.  It was given for time wasting as he kicked the ball back down the field after the whistle on Sjoberg.  Yeah, most refs wouldn't have given it for ho quickly it happened, but the ref was hurrying play all night.  Good players learn how to adapt to the way the ref is calling the game.  The ref was stupid for giving a yellow that quickly but Blomberg was stupid for not realizing the ref wasn't going to brook any time-wasting.
• The ensuing free kick was gorgeous and despite what some fans are saying only Tim Howard of 5 years ago (aka the Belgium game) had any chance of getting to it.  No keeper currently in MLS, including Howard, was stopping it.  Yeah, he didn't make an effort because he knew he was beat and that doesn't look great, but who cares.  I trust Tim to know what he can and can't get to and if he doesn't want to waste energy on a lost cause I'm fine with that.
• That goal shouldn't obscure a pretty good night from Howard.  Any concerns about him coasting through his final year should be gone after how he's played the first 3 games.
• Kamara is a beat but he's almost doing too much.  He needs to be 10 years or so further up the field putting himself into dangerous positions to receive the ball, not trying to create all the chances.  The whole team is playing more compressed, probably to help protect the weakened back line, but its costing us offensive chances.
• Feilhaber looked better this game but I still don't see him as a 6.
• The pressure from the forwards made KC jumpy all night, its no surprise it paid off in a goal.
• Rubio showed what he can bring this game with that pressure and his work rate.  It paid off in a callup by the Chilean National Team for their friendlies against Mexico and the U.S. next week.  He'll miss the Dallas game on Saturday but its a big opportunity for him.
• Obviously its not great that we're still winless, but its exactly what I predicted.  We had 3 tough games to start and injuries, getting here with 2 points is a solid start.  The 2018 team would have been happy to have 1 point, the 2019 team is disappointed not to have 4.

Man of the Match: Dillon Serna.  I had heard Sam Vines was going to be the starter coming into the season but Serna has clearly displaced him.  He's finally found his spot in this league and has easily replaced what we lost in Castillo being traded.  He still has work to do, particularly when recovering from getting beat on his weak side, but he's going to be dangerous going forward and he's going to make wingers work the full length of the field to stop him or beat him.