Cannon ball! Postseason-bound! Reggie Cannon’s second-half strike helps Colorado Rapids secure 2024 playoff spot

COMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids are headed back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Behind a passionate head coach, revamped roster and an inspired attack, the Rapids used all three elements to dispatch Toronto FC 2-0 Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park as new signing Reggie Cannon and Djordje Mihailovic’s second-half goals proved decisive.

The Colorado Rapids (15-10-5, 50 points) came out with a significantly rotated lineup from Wednesday evening’s disappointing loss at Sporting Kansas City, as head coach Chris Armas made four changes to the starting eleven. Cannon got his first start as a member of the Burgundy Boys, while Sebastian Anderson started in place for Keegan Rosenberry and Lalas Abubakar and Darren Yapi returned to the lineup.

The Rapids opened the game strong as they peppered TFC (11-17-3, 36 points) with shots. The best opportunity came early as Rafael Navarro attempted to chip goalkeeper Sean Johnson, but it was former Rapids Homegrown Player Shane O’Neil, a Boulder native, who kept the ball out with a goal-line clearance to keep it 0-0.

The Colorado Rapids would go on to create four corner kicks and have several half-chances, but it went into halftime tied at 0-0.

In the second half with the rain returning to DSGP, the Colorado Rapids came out inspired and knew the task at hand: Get three points and it’d be playoff-bound.

The hard work in the first half was rewarded with a pair of second-half goals. In the 52nd minute, it was the new signing, the former USMNT’er Cannon, who made a lung-busting run across the pitch. Mihailovic fed Yapi out wide, who then found the Texan set up at the top of the penalty arc. Cannon hit Yapi’s feed first-time and it found its way into the back of the net and into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 1-0.

It would prove to be one of Cannon’s final touches of the ball on the night as he was substituted four minutes later and was replaced by captain Keegan Rosenberry, while Cole Bassett also exited the pitch for Omir Fernandez.

Yapi and Mihailovic proved dangerous throughout the second half as the two linked up on multiple occasions. In the 70th minute, Yapi nearly got on the end of a Mihailovic cross, while seconds later, after he was fed a tantalizing ball by the Chicagoland native, the Green Valley Ranch native’s effort was pushed aside by Johnson to keep it at 1-0.

Armas made further changes as Calvin Harris came on for Navarro, Jonathan Lewis and Jasper Löffelsend came on late, as well.

The pivotal moment proved to be in the 89th minute when Yapi was clattered by TFC defender Aime Mabika after Yapi’s shot had already left his foot. After consulting the video assistant officials, referee Rosendo Mendoza issued a yellow card and pointed to the penalty spot.

Mihailovic stepped up to the spot and had a no-doubter in the 90th minute: A Panenka penalty kick attempt fooled Johnson and made it 2-0.

With the goal, Mihailovic became the Rapids’ all-time single-season leader in goal contributions with 25, surpassing Diego Rubio’s 23 in the 2022 season. He also tied Carlos Valderrama for the Rapids’ single-season assist record with 16.

After Colorado defended for the final few minutes of additional time, the full-time whistle blew, which secured Colorado’s postseason berth. The players stayed pitch-side to celebrate with Centennial 38, and, almost true to form, Armas had his trademark “Why not the (bleeping) Rapids?”

The win marks 13 matches unbeaten at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, something which Armas, nor the players will take for granted come playoff time.

Armas knows it’s not ‘Mission Accomplished’ yet

The Rapids head coach rotated heavily but wanted to see how players in Yapi, Navarro, Cannon and others responded to the opportunity. His tactics worked and while he was more than pleased with the effort, he knows it’s only the beginning of a soon-to-be intense period for the club.

“What the victory means to me is, ‘Can we nick this one at home?’,” Armas said. “It will help secure us the playoff spot, another ‘mission accomplished’, but only to get us into the postseason. I’m hungry, as well. …. When I stand in front of the team, we talk about being aggressive and attacking. We also want to see fresh legs. In Kansas City we rolled back our team, and in retrospect, could I have rotated more? I’m not sure.

However, on the night, I thought with a big chance here, let’s go aggressive from the start. We put (Yapi and Navarro) in a bit of the wide spot but more so up high, it felt like we had two strikers all night long. Cole Bassett offset it at times as well on the other side of the pitch and it felt like a diamond. But, I wanted to go after it on the night and be aggressive.”

Cannon proves he can play up top

Armas called the fullback goalscorer’s performance “mature”. What they saw in practice was someone who could move up and down both flanks well. They knew they wanted to see it in action.

“We expect a lot of performance like that from him. Very steady, can lock down both flanks. But even after the Kansas City game, he’ll tell you, ‘Listen, I saw you sneaking up there at that back post’, so, he also is really intelligent and has a good engine to be a two-way fullback. Why should we limit him if he’s going to get us assists and now maybe a few goals? We’re thrilled to have him.

Cannon, too, was ecstatic about his home debut but raved about his teammates.

“I think the team has amassed the right players in every position, and, not even just as players that we have, the type of human beings we have. Chris has done such a good job of building to this team and I’m really happy to add to that, it’s obviously been a really good night for me.”

It turns out Mihailovic was only half-joking

The first time Mihailovic and Armas spoke, the USMNT’er told his new head coach that he was going to break the club assist record.

“I’ve still got a bit of time for that, but, this one’s a nice one,” Mihailovic said. “I don’t focus too much (on) saying (that) because when I said it to him I was a bit joking. I didn’t expect to — this type of season, especially my first season, I think, it’s a credit to how the coach uses me and the rest of the team. I wouldn’t have these goal contributions without the help from my teammates, that’s the biggest thing. I think going in, I hope to continue these goals and assists when we go to (the) playoffs where it truly matters.”

The Colorado Rapids finished its three games in eight games with a 2-1-0 record and will have a full week of training as it will prepare for a test at Minnesota United on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Allianz Field. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. MT.