Boring transitions, too little urgency and too many ball losses. The Colorado Rapids fully deserved their 4-1 defeat against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday evening at Children’s Mercy Park.
SKC’s third goal summed up the game perfectly. The Rapids finally had a good counterattack in the 69th minute, but midfielder Cole Bassett was out of time and options as his wingers cut inside into SKC’s trap, leaving him covered by three players and stripped of the ball.
While Bassett expressed his frustration at the lack of width, SKC quickly counterattacked and substitute Erik Thommy scored his first of two goals of the evening.
In fact, the first three SKC goals were in one way or another the result of turnovers or mistakes by the Rapids. The first goal came in the 8th minute when Rapids defender Andreas Maxsø botched a clearance and the ball fell straight to Alan Pulido, who received it from 13 meters and sunk it home.
The Rapids went into the first half down 1-0, although SKC could have scored at least two goals. But Pulido scored his brace four minutes into the second half when Bassett lost the ball 30 yards from his own goal. Pulido got the ball after a couple of passes, slashed through three Rapids defenders and fired it into the back post for the second goal.
Thommy came on for Pulido in the 59th minute and scored a brace himself. His second goal came with a long ball to Daniel Sallói, who calmly received the ball and passed it to Thommy for a well-placed shot.
Rapids defender and captain Keegan Rosenberry said his team simply didn’t do a lot of things right on a night when they could have clinched a playoff spot and knocked SKC out of the race in one fell swoop (with the help of other results). But it wasn’t for a lack of effort or desire, the right-back said.
“I think it’s unfair to say we didn’t want it just as much. I think sometimes it gets portrayed that way, considering we didn’t quite have the intensity we needed to start the game,” Rosenberry said. “I wouldn’t say we didn’t want it just as much.”
“It’s a challenge. It’s a long year with a lot of games. It’s a real challenge to get it right and be there every night – all 11 of us on the pitch. We were just a little bit off and that’s it. That’s really the message in the dressing room. We didn’t get it right, that’s OK, forget it and Saturday is just as important, if not more so.”
Regardless of the effort, SKC’s dominance was also reflected in the statistics. The team had 31 shots on goal, Colorado six (nine of which were on target, Colorado three) and won an unusually high number of corners on the night, Rapids four.
In almost all facets, the Rapids were not good enough.
“I think we should give Kansas City credit,” Rapids coach Chris Armas said. “They played with intensity and I think they won all the little battles on the field, whether they had possession or not. They earned that and I think it’s a reminder for us. It’s probably a wake-up call for all of us about what these games are going to be like. Everyone is fighting for something.”
But if you’re looking for positives for the Rapids, defender Michael Edwards had a memorable moment to cap off a night that was actually the opposite. A corner kick in the 75th minute saw the ball bounce unluckily and land right at Edwards’ feet. And despite having his back to the goal, he was able to heel the ball at goal for his first MLS goal.
With Lalas Abubakar sidelined with a concussion, Wednesday night was only Edwards’ second MLS start ever.
Additionally, the Rapids’ newest player, defender Reggie Cannon, made his debut after coming on in the 74th minute for rookie Jackson Travis. On the court, the Rapids scored their only goal and allowed Thommy’s second. Cannon perhaps could have gotten back in a better position to defend Thommy in the final action, but otherwise looked solid and brought a welcome physical presence in his 15 minutes of play.
“We were hoping those two moments (Edward’s first goal and Cannon’s debut) would be different, but Reggie was welcomed with open arms and he has a character and personality that fits right in with us,” Rosenberry said. “I thought he showed a little bit of his personality tonight by throwing some shoulders around and making an impression.”
“You wish Mike’s first goal came differently and had a different result, but it’s still the same first career goal that you look back on when you’re done with your career and it’s a really proud moment. We’re happy for him.”
The Rapids will return home for Armas’ first game as coach against his former club Toronto FC. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
