New York is Burgundy! Rapids Beat NYCFC Off Rafael Navarro Golazo. Others Shine.

QUEENS, N.Y. – The 2024 Colorado Rapids can indeed do it on a soggy baseball diamond in New York. On Sunday afternoon, the Burgundy Boys took on New York City FC at Citi Field. It was a game of two halves. It was yet another confirmation that last season is behind them.

New York native Chris Armas changed things up tactically. It was a 4-4-2 and at times a Red Bulls-like 4-2-2-2. Darren Yapi started up to with Rafael Navarro. Omir Fernandez started for the injured Djordje Mihailović behind the strikers with Kévin Cabral. The rest was unchanged.

For a foggy game with a soggy baseball pitch, it was energetic. Colorado were lively at both ends in the first half. The visitors took the lead on 16 minutes. Moïse Bombito and Cabral combined to start a counter attack. Eventually Cole Bassett crossed to the back post. Navarro elected to be patient, taking a touch to set up an angle to burry the ball far top corner. It was his fifth goal of the season and just his second goal from the run of play for the club.

It could have been 0-2 at halftime. Cabral had a chance in the 6th on a spin around shot. Yapi cut inside at the top of the box at the 19th, shooting wide of the far post. Keegan Rosenberry had a goal called off in the 26th, with Cabral being tight to the last defender in the buildup.

NYCFC had good attacking sequences in bunches. Mounsef Bakrar had shot in the 21st that was wide. Late in the half, he had a shot blocked by a trailing Bombito. Kevin O’Toole had a header off a corner that was right at goalkeeper Zack Steffen.

The home side responded in the second half. Santiago Rodríguez had a shot from outside the box sent over the bar by Steffen in the opening minutes. Sam Vines let a ball go past him in the 52nd, thinking a teammate would get to it. Winger Hannes Wolf got to it first, hitting the outside of the netting.

Colorado buckled down defensively. They bent, a lot, but did not break. The center backs were timely with their defensive actions. Cole Bassett and Oli Larraz played deep and protected as well.

The result was in the balance. It would come down to who finished their next dangerous scoring chance. The Pigeons best chance came in the 77th. Malachi Jones had an open header at the back post that he was unable to get on target. Minutes later, substitute Calvin Harris set up Cabral at the top of the box, but he shot wide of the post.

In the 87th minute, Cole Bassett put the match out of reach. Winning the ball in midfield, he played a one-two with Harris and picked out the far bottom corner. It was his fourth of the season and a third assist for Harris. The match ended 0-2.

Rafael Navarro Golazo and other standout performances:

This match was filled with standout individuals. It was a massive bounce back from Cincinnati last week. The intensity was there. Navarro was class on his goal. His holdup play was solid. Bassett and Larraz covered space, albeit on a smaller pitch. They competed for balls in midfield. It led to the second goal.

“The players earned it tonight. They had to defend together. If we get stretched, we can get punished. We had to take away certain spaces. The way they were able to stay connected. Big night for that midfield,” Armas said.

Cabral, for all his faults in the final third, was a major release valve for pressure and starting the counter attack. This might have been Bombito’s best game for the club defensively. This is a team that can defend by preventing and making last ditch plays. What a change from last year.

“My coaches work hard with (Bombito). The culture in that back line is tremendous. Think about the support system that Moïse has around him. Yes, I’ve come up with the phrase ‘Master of the Basics.’ Get rid of the step overs, get rid of rolling the ball, don’t get too cute. This is what it is for Moïse while letting him be Moïse. He plays with personality. He’s fast. We know teams in Europe are probably working. But we say get back to work.”

Still waiting for Yapi to get a goal.

Circumstantial tactics mostly worked:

The formation was a 4-4-2 when they were defending NYCFC in possession. It was a narrow 4-2-2-2 when they played direct. It worked well. Armas set the team up to perfectly exploit the opponent given the playoff surface. Fernandez had a role further from goal and he did well in the linkup play to then set up Cabral, Navarro, etc.

“It was good. Chris has experience against New York City. It showed today with his tactics. For me, it was comfortable to do my job. I was able to help my teammate with their positioning. This is a good formation for us. Good tactical change for sure,” Fernandez told Burgundy Wave.

We tried to keep them off balance with a game plan that took time and space away. Also put pressure on certain players. The second part with the two strikers. With the way they attack with both fullbacks, that cold leave them vulnerable,” added Armas.

Burgundy Wedding for Armas and ‘City Killer’ Fernandez:

This result had to feel good for Armas and Fernandez. Three points in their homecoming. Beating NYCFC. Fernandez didn’t get his goal, but still, the result. And to do it with dozens of friends and family present.

“There’s lots of tickets to organize. I love it if people are in the building to support me. My son Alexi’s in the building. I haven’t seen him in months. It’s almost easier not seeing them. I love that they were able to come. I can’t say I don’t enjoy that. New Yorker, born in the Bronx. It is special,” Armas told Burgundy Wave, eventually conceding a smile.

“I like the nickname. They still don’t like me. I don’t care. I’m going to perform against them because it means so much to me,” said Fernandez.

“I asked for 20 tickets minimum. More than 20 came. It meant so much to me. I miss being here. It meant so much to see them in the rain, they didn’t care. It made me so happy.”

This is their fifth win the of the season. That matches their total from 2023. It’s early May.

Photo Credit: John Babiak

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