Well, That Was Predictable

 

From my preview:

The Rapids can't sit back and try for the scoreless draw though, that will almost certainly fail.  Scoring a goal will force LAFC to score 3 to win outright and that should be the focus.  We might be able to prevent a 3-1 loss, but we can't prevent a 1-0 loss.

With 0 shots on goal for the second game in a row the Rapids were unable to prevent a 1-0 loss and elimination from CONCACAF play at the first step for a fifth time.  The team started out strong and spent the first half largely frustrating the LAFC attack while getting a couple of looks in themselves.  At halftime I wrote that it was a good 45 and there would be no shame in going out to a team like LAFC playing this way.

Then the second half happened.  In the 48th minute Rosenberry got beat on the wing and a cross got it.  Cannon's man got goal-side of him and was able to redirect it on net.  Steffen got a leg on the ball but not enough to keep it out and suddenly the Rapids had to chance the game.  But they didn't.  With 40+ minutes left and needing a goal to advance the Rapids got 0 shots on target and rarely looked dangerous.  Pitiful.

The other notable incident was in the 82nd minute when Awaziem was speaking to the ref about an off-ball incident.  The game was delayed for 5+ minutes with no explanation.  After that game it was revealed that Awaziem heard LAFC's Palencia use a unacceptable slur towards him and wanted the process for unacceptable language followed.  Which, by all accounts, it was.  If no ref heard it and it wasn't picked up by the mics (reviewing them was likely the cause of the delay) then there's noting the ref can do.  The game played on with a remarkably short amount of stoppage time given the delay, but it wouldn't have mattered.  We could have had 20 minutes and we weren't going to score.

Obviously there's no room for discriminatory language in the game (or anywhere) so full support to Awaziem for having to deal with whatever was said.  Unfortunately all we have are the two players words on what happened.  CONCACAF is initiating an investigation but unless other players around heard what was said this will likely result in no further action being taken.  And that's absolutely fair.  While I'm sure Awaziem believes what he is saying its possible that he misheard or misunderstood what Palencia said.  Without any sort of proof or other player's corroboration its unfair to Palencia to just assume he said something derogatory.

Moving back to the result you have to say with 45 minutes left this result was a disappointment.  I don't think 10 days ago the Rapids were favored to advance but at halftime last night it was pretty clear LAFC didn't have 3 goals in them so 1 goal by the Rapids would have ensured 30 minutes of extra time at worst.  Instead we got a completely punch less offense that couldn't put a shot on goal the whole game.  As expected that result led to a 1-0 loss.

There was some history made last night.  It was the first time in Rapids history that they have gone two full games ion a row without a shot on target.  Both goals against LAFC in the first leg were Mihailovic bangers from a set piece so through 3 games the team has no goals from the run of play and zero assists.  Not a good start to the season.

They also continued their history of being the only MLS team with multiple CCL/CCC appearances to have never advanced past their opening round.  20 other MLS teams have appeared multiple times and advanced a least once.  Not only that we've been eliminated pretty much every way possible.  On points (Toronto 2018, Santos Laguna & Isidrio Metapan, 2011), total goals (Leono, 1998), PKs (Comunicaciones, 2022) and now away goals against LAFC.  We've also been eliminated 5 times by teams from 5 different countries, Mexico (Leon, 1998), El Salvador (Isidrop Metapan, 2011), Canada (Toronto, ,2018), Guatemala (Comunicaciones, 2022), and America (LAFC, 2025).  So at least we're keeping our failures interesting.

Man of the Match: Chidozie Awaziem.  He was my choice before the language incident happened but playing through that is an added bonus.  He was more than solid all night, making some pretty defensive plays when needed.  He's looking like our best offseason acquisition so far.