Ralph Priso Mistakes: Noncompetitive Colorado Rapids Lose Again

SAINT PAUL – Colorado Rapids played at Minnesota United FC on Wednesday night. It was basically the same game as their previous, a 4-0 loss to LAFC. After a decent start, two Ralph Priso mistakes put the game out of reach.

Robin Fraser again had big injuries to consider. Diego Rubio was unavailable due to another lower body injury. Keegan Rosenberry was also a late scratch. They proved costly. Moïse Bombito started at

Unfortunately, this game followed the same script every big loss of 2023 has for the Burgundy Boys. They had energy in the first 15 minutes. Rafael Navarro had a few half chances. Sidnei Tavares looked good on the ball.

Still, the Rapids didn’t score. They made one mistake. It opened the flood gates for the home side. Ralph Priso was matched up with Emanuel Reynoso off a throw in 16 minutes in. Priso did poorly defending him, eventually take him down just inside the box for a penalty. Reynoso calmly converted the PK.

In the 28th minute, Reynoso made it 2-0. Hassani Dotson uncorked a good shot from distance. With a partial screen, the ball bounced in front of Marko Ilić, who could not collect it. Reynoso was there at the near post for an easy tap in.

Much like the play leading to the penalty, Bombito was out of position and unable to recover to help. Priso could have made a play to save it, but did not. He was the closest player to rebound other than Reynoso and Ilić.

Teemu Pukki made it 3-0 in the 43rd, timing his run well to get in behind and score on a short breakaway.

There’s not much point in analyzing the second half. The game was over at half. Both teams made subs. The Rapids were better, but Minnesota played the score line. The game ended 3-0.

Missing Rosenberry, Priso and Bombito were poor:

Keegan Rosenberry has not been great this year, but he was sorely missed in the first 30 minutes of this one. Bombito and Priso both made mistakes on the first two goals, that this team could ill afford. It highlights that no one outside of Conor Ronan and Andrew Gutman are playing well enough defensively.

“We missed Keegan for a lot of reasons, not just as a player, but his personality and character and teams. But it gives us an opportunity to to further the development of some of the players. I thought Moyes again had some very good moments and some young, naïve moments, but young, talented players, you’re going to get those,” Fraser told Burgundy Wave post game.

This team makes several big mistakes a game. Those mistakes usually lead to goals.

“There are some very valuable lessons to be learned tonight. The lessons to be learned from this are immeasurable. If [Priso] is better because of this game going forward, it will have been worth it for him certainly, and for us,” Fraser said.

Bad opens for the Rocky Mountain Cup on Saturday:

Two road losses by a combined score of 7-0. That’s with new players in and over a week to prepare for both games. It’s a bad way to go into a rivalry game and likely the last chance for the club to win silverware this year.

“There’s a trophy at stake. So, you know, that’s that’s something right there to play for a trophy to to be able to win some things this year, given all the season’s gone is massive,” Andrew Gutman told Burgundy Wave.

Rapids fans know all too well how most trips to Sandy, Utah end. The game’s 70 hours away and it feels like Colorado’s already lost 3-0.

“The reaction has always been good. It’s more so starting on the front foot, starting being in the initiative and, you know, pressing from the beginning and playing as a team. You know, we have to do that before we before we put ourselves in a hole,” he added.

This team is not competitive. At all. Fraser out?

This team’s broken defensively, in possession, and in the attack. Gutman can say the reactions are good and everyone’s being professional. Even if it is, it’s not enough. This team is noncompetitive by miles.

“I don’t see anyone giving up. I think everyone’s still fighting and still trying. This where your true colors come out. this is where people see if you’re professional or not. So far, I’ve seen nothing but good professional in the locker room. You have to be mentally tough,” Gutman said.

Is this a bottom group of players? Have they given up on Fraser? Is a new voice needed? If the assumption is they’ll go into every game expecting to get blown out, something has to change. The easiest decision would be to part ways with Fraser. It would give you some answers to those questions. Continuing this horrible course is untenable, regardless of how much it’s Fraser’s fault, right?

Photo Credit: Antonia Geiger, emdashphoto.com.

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