COMMERCE CITY — Rapids fans had to wait six games to see what kind of impact U.S. national team midfielder Jermaine Jones could have on the side. They had to like what they saw Saturday night, even if many of them stayed warm at home and caught the game on television.
In a driving snowstorm on a slip-and-slide pitch sodden with moisture and covered with slush, Jones scored the first goal in a 2-1 triumph for the Rapids (4-2-1) over the New York Red Bulls.
The contest unfolded in front of thousands of empty seats and a few hundred diehard fans on a miserable night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The field was plowed several times in the hours preceding the game, and the temperature at kickoff was 32 degrees. Orange balls were used to improve visibility as snow accumulated on the pitch during the match. Nasty winds out of the north carried sheets of snow sideways.
But it was an entertaining affair, and Jones stood out, no doubt giving Rapids fans reason to think their team just got better.
“I always say, since I came, I loved it (here) and the team was amazing, how they took me in, the coaches and the fans, too,” Jones said. “My wife and kids came (Friday), and I told them when we have lunch today, the only thing I want to do is enjoy the game. All the other stuff, let it away.”
Acquired in a trade last month with New England, Jones had to sit out a six-game suspension to start the season because of an incident in the playoffs last season. A native of Germany and a veteran of the Bundesliga, Jones took advantage of his Rapids debut from the start, making his presence felt all over the field.
“He injected the group with a lot of energy, a lot of quality football, a lot of guile, experience,” said coach Pablo Mastroeni. “This is a guy that hasn’t played a 90-minute game in I don’t know how many months. In these kind of conditions, you can make so many excuses, but he was a real leader out there. And just found a way to get involved and really make a difference on both sides of the ball.”
Jones gave his new team some bite with smart, timely tackles and jumped into the attack with dangerous runs. He scored in the 21st minute with a tap-in off a skidding pass by defender Mekeil Williams from the right wing.
On another foray, Jones took a shot saved by New York goalkeeper Luis Robles. Rapids striker Luis Solignac put the rebound in the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed for an offside call.
“The main key for me is that the team, in that condition, played really well,” Jones said. “The team is young, and a lot of people maybe don’t have it on their list for a playoff spot. I try to explain (to teammates), look game for game and be hungry, prove people wrong.”
Both halves were delayed for snow removal, and the storm intensified through much of the second half.
Jones nearly set up another goal in the 53rd minute, finding midfielder Marco Pappa at the top of the box. Pappa forced Robles to make a diving save that he deflected off his right post.
Then the Red Bulls (1-6) turned up the pressure, dominating possession and pinning the Rapids in their end for extended stretches. It seemed inevitable the visitors would score, and they did when defender Ronald Zubar netted the equalizer on a header off a corner kick in the 60th minute.
The game turned ragged in the late going, but it turned the Rapids’ way again in the 82nd minute when Dominique Badji, a second-half substitute for Shkelzen Gashi, scored to give the Rapids the lead again. Badji nearly scored again in a nervy six minutes of stoppage time.
Jones was impressed by Badji, a second-year player, and Dillon Serna, another young player who played well off the bench.
“When I talk with the boys, sometimes it’s tough when you don’t get the call and you don’t start or play,” Jones said. “At that age, I say shut your mouth, train harder and wait for that moment that Badji got today. That’s the best, to prove it on the field. Both of them have amazing qualities.”
Despite plenty of scares by the visitors in the waning moments, the Rapids kept their home record perfect for the season at 3-0 on a miserable night.
“This game wasn’t about football, this game was about heart, commitment — like every other game, but more so because you’re not going to be able to play the way you want to,” Mastroeni said. “It has everything to do with the desire to win, a desire to be great. The most important thing about (Saturday’s game), you continue to build psychological immunity when you get these kinds of results.”
John Meyer: jmeyer@denverpost.com or @johnmeyer
