I Did Not See That Coming

Well, I look like an idiot after last night's game.  The Rapids that played FSL off the field in Sandy showed up to face Seattle last night and were clearly the better team.  All credit to Fraser and the guys for going from looking like a team that hadn't played in a month to a team that can hang with anyone in the league in a week.  The 3-1 score line was no fluke, they took the lead in the first half, then held a good Seattle offense without a shot on goal in the second half before putting the game away late.

With the win the road to the playoffs becomes much clearer, and easier.  The Rapids clinch a playoff berth in a number of ways.  The Rapids are in if:

• The Rapids draw or win either of their remaining games

OR

• The LA Galaxy fail to win both of their remaining games

OR

• The SJ-LAFC game is rescheduled for Wednesday and SJ gets no more than 1 point in its last two games

Right now of the teams who have not clinched a playoff spot in the West the Rapids have the best chance to clinch a spot.  It would be nice to win both games though which would give us more points than at least 4 other Western teams and shut up the whiners who think its unfair that the Rapids are going to "sneak" into the playoffs on PPG after not playing 5 games.

Coming back to last nights game the Rapids had three very different quality goals.  The first was a great team goal where Vines and Benezet played a give and go into the corner.  Vines then placed a nice chip in front of goal for Shinyashiki to head home.  Frenchman to American homegrown to Brazilian for the lead.

After a defensive breakdown (Rosenberry somehow left Morris unmarked at the top of the 6) the Rapids re-took the lead just before half.  A Jack Price corner was cleared to the top of the arc where Keegan Rosenberry hit it solid and true, ripping the ball into the corner of the net to take a lead to the halftime locker room.  Not the type of shot you expect from a right back.

The second half started out fairly even but Seattle started to wear out and the Rapids took more and more control.  Still it didn't seem like a 2-1 scoreline was likely to hold up, and technically it didn't.  With 15 minutes to play Jack Price lined up for a free kick and put it right in front of the net where Goal (we call him Goal now) Bassett headed it home for his 5th goal of the season,  tying Lewis for the team lead again.  Price's assist on the play broke the tie for the team lead with Bassett.  Any air went out of the Sounders at that point and a surprise win was wrapped up for Colorado.

Its really hard to point out anyone who had a poor game.  There were lapses here and there but really the only negative was Rubio being too selfish multiple times.  I understand strikers are naturally a bit selfish, it's part of their game, but there were 2-3 times Rubio passed up what should have been a great attempt at goal for one of his teammates to hold the ball to try to find a harder shot for himself.  He's got to know when to be selfish and when to lay it off.

Man of the Match: Nicholas Benezet.  His first start since the MLS Is Back tournament and again you can see the skill that we signed him for.  He was putting the ball into dangerous situations all night ans had the secondary assist on the first goal.  If he can stay healthy and play like this he can force himself into the starting XI next season.  But he's got to do that to be worth his salary, he can't be coming off the bench most of the season.