Colorado Rapids Eliminated From Playoff Contention With Loss at Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Burgundy Boys headed into Portland to play the Timbers on Saturday night. It was a must win for both sides. Portland were coming off three straight wins. A loss would see Colorado Rapids eliminated from playoff contention.

The lineup had plenty of surprises. Rapids interim manager Chris Little made six changes from Wednesday’s starting lineup. Lalas Abubakar and Danny Wilson started in defense with Andreas Maxsø. Danny Leyva and Ralph Priso were in at midfield. Diego Rubio and Braian Galván were in attack. Sidnei Tavares and Rafael Navarro were out of the squad, with Navarro out injured.

The first half was a mess. Antony opened the score 19 minutes in on an open header at the back post off an endline cross from Dairon Asprilla. Andrew Gutman was the closed defender to Antony but did not challenge for the ball.

Santi Moreno made it 2-0 on the hour mark. He played a great one-two with Noel Caliskan to go through the Rapids defense. Rubio responded immediately with an emphatic header in the box off a long cross from Cole Bassett.

Gutman suffered a hard foul from Felipe Mora in the Colorado box that was reviewed for a potential red card. The original call of yellow card stood. Gutman would get his revenge moments later in the 43rd. In transition, Calvin Harris laid the ball off to him. Gutman took it himself. The shot went off Juan Mosquera and snuck past goalkeeper David Bingham.

The half ended 2-2. Gutman was subbed off at half for Keegan Rosenberry.

The second half was back and forth. Overall, the Timbers had the better of the chances. Antony missed an open header in the box. Harris had a shot on the run that Bingham deflected over the bar. Substitute Connor Ronan had a great chance that he scuffed.

Mora made it 3-2 in the 71st minute. Rubio was off the pitch having sustained an injury and getting a yellow for taking his time leaving the field. Asprilla won a second header at midfield to play Mora in behind. He separated from the defenders and scored on a breakaway. Maxsø, Abubakar, and Wilson were poor on the goal.

The match ended 3-2.

Rubio and Bassett:

It was great to see Rubio and Bassett contributing offensively. It was Rubio’s first goal from the run of play for the first team since April 8 at Sporting KC. He did score a penalty against Toluca in Leagues cup. Rubio was create in attack all night long. He was crafty in earning fouls and time wasting to help his team. It’s disappointing he was off the field for the winning goal.

“He took his goal really well. First passage of play where we had a positive possession. It was a fantastic header. It gave us a platform to get the second goal,” Little told Burgundy Wave post game.

Bassett got his third goal contribution in as many games. His assist to Rubio on the first goal was his first of the MLS season. He now leads to club in goals (4) and goal contributions (5). Say what you will about him. He’s been reinvigorated under Little. He’s been impowered. He’s fighting.

“There’s a lot of things that are selfless that go unnoticed. It’s really good that he gets rewarded with his goal contributions,” Little said of Bassett.

Karma, Mora, and Gutman:

The MLS Script Writers had plot twist on this one. Mora potentially commits a red card offense on Gutman in the first half. Gutman goes on to score his first goal for the club to make it 2-2. He then gets subbed off at halftime. Mora stayed in the game and scored the winner. If that boot was a few inches higher, we might be talking about a Rapids win against 10-men.

“How the player reacted towards it, it shows a lot about who he is. I’m frustrated about that. It hurt a lot and how the opposing player handled it was not great at all. I have no respect for that,” Gutman told Burgundy Wave.

Gutman and Little went on to say the left back has a swollen ankle, possibly a contusion. Swelling will be monitored ahead of Wednesday’s home game against Vancouver Whitecaps. Little did not have an update on Rubio or Priso, who were both subbed off for injuries as well.

Colorado Rapids eliminated from playoffs officially:

With this loss, Colorado can now get a maximum of 37 points. The playoff line is already at 39 points. This had been coming, but now it’s official. The Rapids are the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention.

It’s fitting Colorado were eliminated on a night the started poorly, gave up three goals off compounding little defensive errors, and weren’t good enough in critical moments.

The focus should now turn to playing young players and building towards next season. And not finishing last.

This was Colorado’s game in hand on Toronto FC. Both teams have 22 points with five games left. TFC has the better goal difference with -21 to -24. Two home games next week will be critical to the Rapids not winning the 2023 Wooden Spoon.

Photo Credit: Antonia Geiger, emdashphoto.com.

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