There were fireworks on and off the field Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park as the Colorado Rapids snatched yet another late win at home, this time against Austin FC.
Corner kicks were the name of the game early, as the Rapids dominated possession of the ball and created chance after chance. After 16 minutes of the first half, Colorado had six corners. It took some heroics from Austin FC defenders to keep the Rapids off the scoreboard. While the Rapids could not capitalize on any of the chances, they were knocking on the door early.
After the early flurry of corners, the momentum evened out. Both teams had chances. Austin found some success on the counterattack, while Colorado found it difficult to break down Austin’s low block. Rapids midfielder Paxten Aaronson had a few good looks, but his shots found the comfortable hands of Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver.
Colorado ended the half with eight corner kicks, but no goals. The Rapids were certainly the better team in the first half, but couldn’t find that elusive goal. Once in contention for the highest scoring team in the MLS, the Rapids found themselves at risk of scoring only five goals in their last 10 matches.
Colorado came out of the locker room hot in the second half. Rapids midfielders Wayner Frederick II and Georgi Minoungou both had excellent chances to break the deadlock within minutes of starting the second half. Minoungou’s shot found the hands of Stuver, and Frederick’s shot whistled past the post. Agonizingly close chances, both created by Rapids forward Rafa Navarro.
The game seemed to be headed towards a scoreless draw until the 90th minute. A shot from Rapids forward Darren Yapi was saved, but parried to Navarro, who got a touch on the ball but was taken out inside the box by Austin FC defender Przemyslaw Placheta.
In the 94th minute, Navarro stepped up and buried the penalty kick, giving the Rapids the late lead. The late heroics were reminiscent of Colorado’s win against San Diego FC a week and a half ago. The Rapids have made a habit of leaving it late recently.
“I was very happy to win the penalty and get the win for the team after a very difficult match,” he said.
Rapids head coach Matt Wells was elated afterward.
“We just won a game, one-nil in the last minute,” he said. “It’s the second game in a row at home that we’ve done that. So I think big credit to the guys. Fantastic win, good performance.”
The biggest news of the night didn’t happen on the field but off it, involving Rapids defender Lucas Herrington. Reports came out that the 18-year-old could be on the way to England to play in the Premier League with Hull City. The reported transfer fee would easily be amongst the highest in MLS history. Lucas Herrington played all 90 minutes Saturday.
“The Lucas stuff’s off my radar,” Wells said. “I don’t know. Obviously, just finished the game, so pretty immersed in what was a pretty stressful game, and then just praised the guys afterward for the win. So yeah, no real update from that perspective.”
Herrington was originally going to be made available to the media after the match, then wasn’t available, then became available again, but wasn’t allowed to comment on any reports. Everything points to Herrington getting that big money move to the Premier League.
For the Rapids, incoming transfer Youssef Maziz could not make an appearance because his Visa paperwork was not yet complete. In a match where the Rapids needed creativity up front, Maziz would have been a big help.
Wells agreed.
“He sees a different pass to what I can see from the sideline, or a different bit of skill, which is a little bit what we lack in the group,” he said.
Navarro had less to say on the topic, telling the media, “I watched a YouTube video; he seems like a great player and will help the team a lot.”
Rapids defender Keegan Rosenberry made his 200th appearance with the team.
“I think it illustrates that I’ve been here the longest with anybody on the team,” he said. “Illustrates that I’m getting towards the latter stages of my career. … Just another of another milestone. But yeah, really happy that it came in a win tonight.”
Colorado got a much-needed three points to improve to 7-10-1, moving to 11th place in the West with 22 points. Colorado sits just two points back of Portland (No. 8), Seattle (No. 9) and Minnesota (No. 10). The top seven teams automatically make the playoff field, with the No. 8 and No. 9 finishers squaring off for the final playoff spot in a qualifier. The Rapids will return home against Sporting KC on August 15.
