Since joining the Colorado Rapids, Connor Ronan never complained about playing a role he’s not accustomed to in the defensive midfield.
Wednesday night against MLS Western Conference leader LA Galaxy, he was rewarded with his first goal of the season — his second with the Rapids — on the way to a 3-1 loss.
Even on the 45th-minute scoring move, Ronan made a play to stop a dangerous-looking Galaxy counterattack after a Rapids corner kick was cleared towards a streaking Joseph Paintsil. Ronan broke it up and played a ball to defender Reggie Cannon. Two passes later, and midfielder Djordje Mihailovic got the assist on Ronan’s left-footed blast from distance to the far post.
“The defensive work is something I’m working on and trying to have as a base of my game to allow me to go forward,” Ronan said. “I always want to try and get up the pitch and create, but I also want to do what I’m asked by the manager and do whatap best for the team. I’ll always do what I need to do and if thatap to stay back for 90 minutes, I’ll do that.
“(On the goal,) the goal opened up and I hit it with my left foot, and honestly if itap my left foot, I’m not too sure where itap going sometimes, so I’m glad it went in.”
After Ronan opened his account, he instantly ran to the Rapids’ bench, where he and defender Lalas Abubakar held up a jersey that read “Monsieur Cabral” on the back up towards the family suite. Cabral, whose father recently passed, was watching his teammates clap in his honor from the suite.
For Rapids coach Chris Armas, the gesture — which was entirely the players’ idea — couldn’t say more about the group’s tight-knit nature.
“The celebration for Kévin Cabral’s dad, I think it just shows once again how impressive these guys are and how thoughtful they are,” Armas said. “Itap a great group of guys we’ve got here.”
Despite a dominant first half from the Rapids, two quick second-half goals from the Galaxy ultimately buried the Rapids. As a result, the 13-game unbeaten streak at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was snapped and the Rapids slid to sixth in the Western Conference.
The first came in the 50th minute when Gabriel Pec beat Rapids defender Andreas Maxsø in a footrace and looked to have mishit a shot, but it trickled past Zack Steffen’s trailing foot anyway. Nine minutes later, Galaxy star Riqui Puig had the ball in a favorable two-on-one that left Cannon on an island, cut inside and tucked it to the far corner.
“The thing I think harms this team the most is transition football, as we see tonight: Galaxy’s a team that thrives off of that,” Cannon said. “Puig is obviously a game-changing player, a world-class player. You get him in pockets, you get him on the turn, three-on-twos, he’s always going to put it away. Credit to him, he did well tonight.
“I think thatap something we have to do better: our prevention defense. To have a man back or have a plus-one advantage, just basic stuff. I think we all need to get it right.”
Puig doubled his deposit and the Galaxy’s lead in the 90+1st minute.
And for the first time this season, the Rapids lost at home directly after a road loss. Prior to Wednesday night, the Rapids won four such matches and drew two.
The Rapids will need points this Saturday to keep hopes of a home playoff advantage alive against the Seattle Sounders. The match will kick off at DSGP at 7:30 p.m.
