The only thing about Sydney Wathuta that doesn’t scream Rapids is how quickly he notched his first assist as a first-teamer.
But what earned him his first tally in a meaningless Leagues Cup 2-all draw against Cruz Azul, which won the penalty shootout 5-4, certainly fits the bill.
The Colorado Rapids’ heavily rotated squad, which included three rookies, two second-year MLS players and a debutant, was rewarded early for deploying a suffocating press. Wathuta stood out among a front four in defense with his physical 6-foot-3 frame.
In the third minute, he capitalized on a mistake by Cruz Azul goalkeeper Kevin Mier, getting a foot to a botched goal kick. The touch went straight to forward Rafael Navarro, who calmly set himself up for a rocket from 19 yards out to take the lead.
Not bad for your first assist at the professional level to come just three minutes into your debut.
“Getting the call-up is great. For me, itap whenever I get the chance to play, just continue to show myself and prove that I’m a good player, and whether itap for Rapids 2 or the main team, I can do what I’m supposed to do,” Wathuta said. “I’m proud of what I did. This is only the start, and I feel like I can grow and do better as a player.”
Andreas Maxsø added the Rapids’ second goal right before halftime, a solid volley at the back post off a set-piece cross from Cole Bassett.
Wathuta could easily have had another assist and a goal on top of his first MLS goal contribution. In the 23rd minute, he made the crossbar ring from point-blank distance trying to get a shot over a closing defender. In the 76th minute, he squared a delicious ball for substitute Darren Yapi with a chance to go up 3-1, but Yapi missed wide.
In the shootout, Wathuta also managed to score.
The 21-year-old rookie from Canada, who beat now-teammate Sam Bassett and the DU Pioneers in last year’s College Cup en route to a national title, has been money at the Rapids 2 level this season. His strong campaign has earned him a pair of call-ups during a disappointing Leagues Cup run. In 12 MLS NEXT Pro matches this year, he’s scored five goals and added two assists.
“Sydney really stepped up tonight,” Rapids coach Chris Armas said. “Only these games can give you the information you need, whether itap too much for them or they can keep up with the speed of things and the quality. It really takes personality, and this was great to see (from Wathuta).”
The match was Wathuta’s second of four single-game call-ups allowed this year, per MLS roster rules. He didn’t play during his first call-up, but MLS NEXT Pro players are also only allowed two MLS appearances during those matches, meaning he’ll remain with Rapids 2 for the remainder of the year if he plays in his next call-up.
If Wathuta is to earn a first-team contract by next season, he must adapt and make this sort of performance common. He spends a fair amount of time training with the first team, but plays games with the second team. That makes for a unique experience for a young player: Playing for two entirely different teams and coaches, often at a momentap notice.
“Since I’ve got here, I’ve been told to be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Wathuta said. “Moving forward is just absorbing all the information they give me and trying to use it to grow as a player.”
