Moïse Bombito Red Card and a Missed Penalty Spoils Return Home

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Colorado Rapids returned home on Saturday night to play San Jose Earthquakes. The Pids had lost six games in a row. The Quakes were coming off a smash and grab 1-0 win at Seattle. Moïse Bombito was itching for his first MLS start at home. He was energetic, clean defensively, and good on the ball. Until it all went horribly wrong.

This game was the healthiest the Rapids had been in over a month. Just five players were unavailable for Head Coach Robin Fraser. Bombito and Marko Ilić got second consecutive starts. Cole Bassett made his first start since April 15. Kévin Cabral started up top back from suspension. Lalas Abubakar was on the bench.

Colorado were on the front foot. They pressed with four up front at times with a back four that included Bombito at left back. Bassett had the best chances in the 13th and 15th minutes. Both were off of a headers. The second came off a free kick that took several touches in the box before Bassett got a header from six yards out. Goalkeeper Daniel made a great diving save.

The Quakes were occasionally dangerous in transition. Andreas Maxsø, wearing the Captain’s armband, and Keegan Rosenberry were great in defense to prevent shots.

The game got a bit testy as Maxsø and Benji Kikanović got into it twice. They got into it after chasing a ball that went out for a Rapids goal kick. Later in the half, Kikanović went up for a header, losing his balance and hitting Maxsø in the lumbar region.

Things went belly up in the second half. Bombito went in for a tackle on Paul Maurie in the 51st minute. He got the ball but caught Maurie with the follow through, and was given a second yellow card. The card was harsh, especially for a second yellow.

Up a man, San Jose were more confident and in control. Few chances were created by either side though. Until substitute Michael Barrios was on the ball in the box on a counter attack in the 66th minute. Referee Sergii Boiko blew his whistle and immediately went to his pocket to give Barrios a yellow for simulation.

The VAR checked the play and called Boiko over to the monitor. Replay clearly showed Rodrigues making contact with Barrios. The penalty was given and the caution rescinded. Connor Ronan took his second penalty of the season going low and to his right. He didn’t pick out the corner though and Daniel made the diving save.

The match ended scoreless with a whimper. Ronan took the last penalty for Colorado, which was on May 13 against Philadelphia Union. This came after Diego Rubio missed a penalty at Vancouver. It’s now a valid question who takes penalties for this team.

Bemused Bombito:

Raise your hand if you had a Moïse Bombito red card after seeing another good performance in the first half. He was comfortable and brough something different at the left back position. Bombing forward and dribbling at times. He’s been great defensively even in scary moments. He has not looked out of place. His red card had him crestfallen. It let San Jose catch their breath and see out a professional 0-0 loss.

“I just have so much frustration. Last (game), we have a referee who’s clearly afraid to change a game so she doesn’t call a stone cold 100% red card. And then this week we have a referee who’s dying to change the game. And he calls for me is an impossible red card call. So quick to jump to the yellow card for (Barrios) when it’s actually a penalty. The frustration is huge,” said on exasperated Fraser.

“After the red card it was a well fought point for us. A clean sheet. At the end of, after everything that happened, really good team effort,” goalkeeper Marko Ilić added. “You just got to deal with it if it’s a good call bad call. Whether it’s a good call, bad call, that’s none of our business. You have to keep the same focus and same energy.”

Another good home performance ends in disappointment:

The Rapids had another really good first half then dropped off in the second half. San Jose lucked out with the red card and took advantage. They created a few good chances in the first half but not enough to earn a 1-0 lead. They dropped off after the sending off. Ronan’s penalty was poor. The Earthquakes were beatable.

“We started very positive. We needed to turn some of those attacks into better goal scoring opportunities,” said Fraser.

Colorado’s not putting in 90 minute performances. They did work hard to stay in the game down a man. There’s little room for moral victories right now. All the 50/50 little moments are going against them. A harsh red card. A missed penalty. They’re unable to overcome right now. But hey, a draw turns a six game losing streak into a seven game winless streak.

“This changes nothing in his play or his contribution to the team. We have all the confidence in the world in him. We will just encourage him to the be the same Connor,” Ilić said of his teammate who missed the penalty.

Photo Credit: John Babiak.

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