Colorado Rapids Drop First Rocky Mountain Cup Game of 2023 Because of Course They Do

Colorado Rapids hosted Real Salt Lake in the first of at least four Rocky Mountain Cup games in 2023 on Saturday night. It went exactly how you expected, because of course it did. Head Coach Robin Fraser was almost as a loss for words after the match. The Pids season is at a tipping point, and we’re only half way through.

Fraser had several healthy bodies return to the starting lineup. Bryan Acosta and Keegan Rosenberry were healthy. Back from suspending, Braian Galván started as well. Diego Rubio and Cole Bassett were still out. Steven Beitashour recovered from his hamstring injury to make the bench.

The first half was frenetic, albeit out of control at times. Cabral got separation on a few long balls that were off target. Lewis was confident dribbling but the final touch wasn’t there.

Acosta nearly opened the scoring four minutes in with a shot from the top of the box. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath got a touch to the ball, sending it off the crossbar.

Pablo Ruiz struck first 12 minutes in with a shot from 30 yards out. The shot deflected off Connor Ronan and into the bottom corner past goalkeeper William Yarbrough.

Danny Musovksi made it 2-0 in the 21st minute. Damir Kreilach’s shot deflected off Danny Wilson. Musovski got to the loose ball before Yarbrough for the tap in. It was his first goal in MLS since last June, when he played for LAFC.

Wilson went Scottish Salmon in the 33rd on a set piece to make it 2-1. Connor Ronan delivered a great ball to the near side. Wilson went vertical on the six-yard box line and headed the ball into the far bottom corner.

The momentum was stymied with a minute left in the half. Wilson gave the ball away in midfield. RSL went in transition with Rubio Rubín eventually holding the ball up and finding an open Kreilach for a first time shot. The half ended 3-1.

RSL looked to kill the game in the second half, putting numbers behind the ball in their 4-4-2. Still, Colorado had looks. Acosta had a shot blocked after he made an intense run where he could not shake the defender. Andreas Maxsø tried a bicycle kick on a corner. Lewis and Nicholson had chances. Nothing was clear cut.

Lalas Abubakar made it 3-2 in the 74th. Off a recycled set piece, he attacked the ball on a Wilson cross, smashing it into the back of the net. Colorado could not find an equalizer with several looks poorly executed. The match ended 3-2 to RSL.

Between turnovers and mistakes, it’s too easy for opponents.

Colorado’s lost three games in a row now, all to teams that were on bad form. They’re fatigued, injured, and poor on the ball. They’re easy to play against. This game was predictable on all the levels. Pablo Mastroeni told Burgundy Wave postgame that nothing surprised them about the way Colorado played.

“”We can’t expect to concede goals like that and win games.”

That was Fraser’s entire opening statement in his postgame press conference.

“We need to be better. All three goals I thought were soft. We need to play with the urgency we saw in the second half.”

“Turnovers have been our undoing so often this year. There’s so much more to it that that. If the the team doesn’t function and move as a team, then people get isolated. At this level, if people are isolated, then bad things happen,” he added.

Typical Rocky Mountain Cup: RSL finishes and dominates.

RSL’s three goals in the first half came on 0.7 expected goals. The Rapids created a total xG of 1.0 in the game. They’re not creating enough quality chances. They’re also not executing on those chances. RSL was either very lucky or clinical, but that’s what they do in the Rocky Mountain Cup.

“We played against a team who always when they play against us seem to find their ruthless streak. We need to find that when we play against them. Almost isn’t good enough,” said Danny Wilson.

RSL has won 17 games against the Rapids since 2014. That’s the most wins by one team in a matchup of any two MLS teams in that stretch. In other words, no MLS dominates another to the level RSL dominates Colorado.

“These games all too often in the last couple years have followed the same pattern. We actually play fairly well in the game but it’s all for nothing because we give up cheap goals and giving ourselves a mountain to climb.”

They’ve won the Rocky Mountain Cup 13 times in its 18 season history. They’re well on their way to 14 in 19. A win in the Open Cup on Wednesday would just pile it on. It’s hard to see the aura around this rivalry changing anytime soon.

The season could go off the rails soon.

After an Open Cup game against this same team, they play both Ohio MLS teams, who who are in playoff positions. Then an improved San Jose Earthquakes. That’s a brutal schedule. Colorado’s nine-game unbeaten streak in hindsight was more about easy opponents than the club turning the corner.

Their issues are predictable and go back to last year. At some point, you are what your record says you’ve been. Their defense has been healthy relative to the rest of the team. It’s hard to see them suddenly become good at what they’ve been bad at for 18 months. The upcoming schedule could see them drop further points and get eliminated from the Cup.

It feels like we already know how this season’s going to play out. They need to win a home game. They need to get healthy. One or two impactful signings are needed in the summer. They need to stop making a bunch of mistakes at once that lead to goals. And even they, they’ll be one-and-done in the playoffs.

It’s hard to see how it gets better from here. We’re all watching the same sad movie on repeat. It’s a discouraging time to be a Pids fan.

Photo Credit: John Babiak.

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