Rapids Choke

Really, that's all there is to say.  Up 2-0 in the first 20 minutes or so in front of the biggest home crowd of the year and they lose 3-2.  Multiple mental lapses on defense and not finishing chances on offense, the same problems that have plagued Colorado all season.

Random Musings:

• Before the match the Rapids announced this would be Trusty's last home match, despite the initial announcement of his loan being through July 17th.  Afterwards the team said Trusty's availability for Saturday's game in Sandy is to be determined.  It sounds like somebody (Rapids or Arsenal) wants him out of Colorado early.
• The way Trusty played last night, and has played most of the season, I'm thinking its probably Colorado.  He has been mentally checked out most of the year and he was directly responsible for the second goal given up by not making an easy play on the cross in.
• The first goal shouldn't have happened either.  It was an easy clearance that Wilson ducked on for unknown reasons.  Was he called off?  If so it was most likely Trusty who was in position to play it if Wilson didn't, but Wilson's duck appeared to catch him by surprise and the ball went past him.  Meanwhile Esteves had lost his mark but that shouldn't have mattered as two different CB's should have made the clearance before that.
• Austin scored the third goal twice, both the same way.  The first time it was waved off by VAR for handling,  In both cases there were far too man dangerous attackers unmarked at the top of the box while Rapids defenders were marking open space.
• On the attack the Rapids were good early, a classic Colorado set-piece goal with a header from Abubakar got them their first, and a nice breakaway chip from Lewis got the second.
• And then it stopped.  The Rapids didn't have a shot on target after the second goal.  That despite them playing up a man for the last 15 minutes+.
• Its safe to say now that the Zardes move has been a bust.  Partially because Barrios and Lewis haven't given him decent service, but partially due to his own poor play.  At least we didn't spend much to get him.
• Barrios had a wide open goal to level the game, and somehow hit it wide of the post.  An unbelievable miss.
• Lots of people complaining about Fraser at this point, but I'm not sure there's much more he can do.  At some point the players need to play to their level of talent (and we need to add more talent to the roster).
• Next week is the Rocky Mountain Cup finale, where we must win to bring the trophy back to this side of the Rockies.  It kind of feels like a turning point in the season.  Win, on the road, against our rival, and we kickstart things and get back on track.  Lose (or even draw), and we are probably done for 2022.

Man of the Match: Jonathan Lewis.  Great goal early and was dangerous throughout.  If we're going to get back into this season we'll need more games like this out of him.