Bassett and Mihailović Lift Rapids to Rocky Mountain Cup Win

COMMERCE CITY – Rivalry games exist in their own ecosystem. And sometimes, they’re 70 minutes of nerves followed by a decisive moment.

Saturday night was the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup. Colorado Rapids hosting Real Salt Lake. The Pids won the rivalry trophy in dramatic fashion last year, the first time since 2020.

Having rotated the team midweek, Chris Armas mostly returned to the team that played San Jose last Saturday. Zack Steffen was a game-time decision after hurting his oblique at San Diego. He wasn’t able to go so Nicolas Hansen was in goal. Jackson Travis and Reggie Cannon were back at fullback. Cole Bassett was a dual 10 with captain Djordje Mihailović. Kévin Cabral started up top with Darren Yapi with Rafael Navarro still out with an ankle injury.

Pablo Mastroeni’s side had a number of injuries but not ones that significantly hurt the starting lineup. Diego Luna was at the 10, behind Willy Agada. Captain Justin Glad was back at center back. Pablo Ruiz was in midfield.

There wasn’t much to write home about the first half. It looked like a derby where both teams wanted to play it safe. Don’t risk making a mistake to try and make a play. RSL was in a defensive 4-2-3-1. They sat back, covered space, and counter attacked.

The one good chance came in the 5th minute. Yapi pressed the defense in the box. He found Mihailović. Djordje found Oli Larraz who shot first time. The chance was blocked. Cabral was open but Larraz chose to shoot on his first touch.

RSL had a few shots with traffic in the way. They went wide or went right to Hansen. Josh Atencio and Braian Ojeda got yellows for some chippy plays. The half ended 0-0.

After a slow start to the second half, things opened up in the 53rd. Atencio had a look from a tough angle. RSL went down the field and Luna battled with Chido Awaziem to win a corner. Colorado were probing yet patient. They repeatedly got the ball into good areas, but just couldn’t put it together.

That all changed when Cole Bassett was fouled in the 66th and got mad. Glad committed a tactical foul on Bassett. He was down for a minute and had to come off, appearing to take a hit on the nose. Bassett ran back onto the field with intent as the Rapids were working the ball down their right flank near the benches.

Cannon got to the endline and crossed into the mixer. Bassett was there along with several defenders. He won the ball of Sam Junqua and battled to separate. He managed to poke the ball to Mihailović, who was ready for it. Djordje smashed the ball first time to the bottom left corner and the South Bank erupted. With the assist, Bassett passed Terry Cooke for the most goals by a Rapids player against RSL with five.

Colorado looked to hold onto the lead as RSL came out of their shell. There were chances on the counter. Bassett had a look from a sharp angle that was saved. Substitute Ted Ku-DiPietro had a great look in transition that rang off the crossbar.

RSL had a few good sequences but the Rapids defense handled them calmly. When a defender needed to intercept a pass into space, they kept it simple and punted. Hansen was excellent and confident when called up. The Burgundy Boys saw out the seven minutes of stoppage time in control to win the first leg of the 2025 Rocky Mountain Cup 1-0.

A Slump Busting Palat Cleanser:

Five games without a win. Rumblings that the players are getting frustrated with Armas. All those goals conceded between 40-45. A terrible performance on Wednesday. Just when this team appears doomed, they pull off a night like this.

The Burgundy Boys grew into the game. The defense kept it simple. They swarmed Luna, who was dog tired from Wednesday vs Portland. The offense got into good areas enough times that they finally converted. They had to be patient. First clean sheet since the Charlotte game March 29. The win didn’t need to be pretty. They just needed a moment and a result. This has to change the mood in the locker room and stands going into St. Louis FC next week.

“There’s so many little victories out there tonight. A shutout was big. To have to suffer was great. I love watching the team have to suffer, but with maturity. We showed that late in the game. We didn’t crumble. We had structure,” Armas told Burgundy Wave.

“Happy to get out of that three-game rut we were in. No better team to do it again. Huge to get a result and to get the fans buzzing again,” Bassett added.

Bassett and Mihailović do the thing:

This team has been so Djordje dependent this season. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But he’s needed help around him. On the other side, Bassett’s been snake bitten this year. He’s let his emotions get the best of him at times. He’s tried to do too much. To run onto the field after that injury and get stuck in to get the assist. Made the extra pass to “upgrade the shot” as Armas would say, and it worked! That has to feel good.

“We played a professionally tactical game. We can turn the page after a difficult week and a half. We were patient. We waited. We stuck to it. We finally have a complete game,” Mihailović said.

Djordje is going to cook no matter what. When one other player, Bassett, Navarro, etc. does something great in the attack, this team can win big games. About time the Bassett Hound got out of the dog house.

“I got whacked in the eyeball. Probably have a black eye tomorrow. Luckily don’t have any eye injuries, retina, things like that. Djordje and I have talked. We haven’t assisted each other that much. We have a lot of goals and assists combined, but not to each other. It was nice to get one. It doesn’t matter how I help the team win. You just need one moment,” Bassett added.

Hansen’s Safe Hands. Also Jackson Travis!

Nico Hansen found out at 1 pm that he was starting with Steffen unable to go. In two MLS starts, he’s looked the part. That goal against Seattle was not his fault. He was in control tonight. The team has done a great job of working around him to keep in comfortable. The Rapids have a very viable backup with experience for when Steffen is with the USMNT.

“It’s the environment we create (at the club). All the coaches, all the players, help out the young players like me. I can’t say enough about the confidence they instill within you. Preparing you. Sharpie prepares me for every moment that we’re going to face,” Hansen said with calm confidence.

At full back, Jackson Travis is becoming a grown up MLS starter. He had a lot to deal with in this game. He threw up at halftime in the team huddle. His calf started giving out in the second half. What a dog. He’s come into his own this year. He’s making big plays defensively and getting involved in the attack. When’s the last time Sam Vines had as good a game as this?

“The biggest takeaway was the clean sheet. We haven’t had a clean sheet in a really long time. The back line did their thing. The mentality was there. Every game I get, I get more comfortable. Hopefully I can establish myself within the team,” Jackson from Jackson, Mississippi said.

Travis did say he hoped nobody saw him vomit.

Unified Team!

The Unified game was a tough one. RSL had plenty of the ball and shots on goal. Coach’s son and last year’s MLS Unified All-Star goalkeeper Jordan Underly was massive in goal. Coming off his line on breakaways. Saves in traffic. Radiating calm to his teammates. The Rapids Unified Team held on for a 0-0 draw. By RMC rules, the defending champion retains the trophy in the event of a tie. But the real winner was friendship and sportsmanship.

Main Photo Credit: Colorado Rapids

Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.