Providence Park Nightmare: Colorado Rapids Collapse at Portland Timbers

Portland, OR – An injury. A post instead of a goal. A counter attack. A red card. A fantastic first half for Colorado Rapids was put through a wood chipper in Wednesday night. It was another Providence Park nightmare for the Pids at Portland Timbers.

Chris Armas rolled out the same starting lineup that won 1-0 vs St. Louis on Saturday. Darren Yapi was up top with Sam Bassett on the wing. Nico Hansen was in goal with Zack Steffen still out. Chido Awaziem and Rafael Navarro both made the bench. Djordje Mihailović captained the side as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1.

Phil Neville kept the Timbers in the 5-4-1 that he has liked of late. David Da Costa led the attack out wide. Rapids killer Antony was at wing back. Recently traded Omir Fernandez was on the bench.

Colorado were under pressure in the opening minutes but weathered the storm. Antony and Santi Moreno had half chances. Center forward Felipe Mora should have put the home side up 1-0 in the 21st minute. Portland took a short corner and Mora snuck to the near post for a free header he put wide.

The front four for the Rapids was lively in the press. Yapi, Mihailović, and Ted Ku-DiPietro hunted well together. After some half chances, the press broke the game open in the 33rd minute. Mihailović and Bassett hunted the ball at midfield. Djordje won it, then dribbled alone for 50 yards past two defenders and snuck the ball inside the far post.

Portland was awarded a penalty in the 41st minute. Andreas Maxsø was called for a handball on a cross just inside the box. The replay angles were not conclusive. The ball may have gone off of the Great Dane’s chest. The ball did not lie as Mora went up the middle on the PK. Hansen stood his ground making a calm save. Maxsø was first to the rebound to clear the danger. The half ended 0-1.

Mihailović appeared to be struggling in the opening minutes of the second half. In the 52nd minute, he got the ball in space, went forward, but shanked the shot. The attacker went down and signaled for a sub as Apple TV speculated he had a hamstring knock.

The moment was spark that set the second half ablaze for the Pids. It was one-way traffic in the minutes after Wayne Frederick II subbed in. In the 59th, Colorado had a good spell of passing in the box. Sam Bassett had a chance to score on the doorstep but fired the ball up and off the crossbar.

Portland went the other way immediately off the rebound. Antony scored on a breakaway for his fifth goal in five games against Colorado.

Things went from bad to worse in the 67th. Frederick, who subbed in for Mihailović was given a straight red for a studs up tackle on David Ayala. Portland besieged Hansen’s net. With Colorado down a man and 1-1 being a good result, the Timbers somehow found space in transition. It was Kevin Kelsy, who beat Reggie Cannon to goal to score in the 67th.

Colorado had a chance to tie in the second minute of stoppage time. Calvin Harris did well to get towards the box before being taken down from behind by Diego Chara. No foul was called as the winger was livid. Portland went the other way and nearly scored. VAR did not overturn the call on the field. Replay showed the contact was outside the box.

Kelsy scored in the final minutes but was rightfully called offside. The match ended 2-1.

A Tale of Two Halves and Two Moments:

The first half was the best Colorado’s played against Phil Neville’s Timbers. It was back and forth but they were big when they needed to be, unlike previous encounters. Hansen with big saves. Mihailović showing his quality on the goal.

Then two bad moments in the second half, it all came crashing down. It’s baffling that Colorado lost control of the game as soon as Djordje came off. The Frederick red card was fair, for all the other complaints Rapids fans might have about Chris Penso. It was a reckless challenge. At midfield with men back, unnecessary. If Bassett scores, it’s probably a different result.

“We put them (Portland) in a different type of game until the red card,” Armas told Burgundy Wave.

“Calvin gets fouled in and around the box, probably a foul. We made some subs to go after it. Proud of the effort. I have to accept that the game does this to you sometimes. Little moments can sway games. We’ll have to work to be better in transition.”

Antony Colorado Rapids Killer. Providence Park Hoodoo.

Antony now has six goals in six matches all comps against Colorado going back to 2023. He has six goals against everyone else. He is Colorado’s bogey player. Portland is Colorado’s bogey team. Is there actual Providence Park hoodoo or are fans still scared from the season opener last year?

Regardless, the Timbers had so much time and space to counter attack once the game was 1-1 and they were up a man. The gap control and rest defense were poor when the team could have protected the draw. It’s understandable that Colorado went for it once they went down 2-1. Armas stuck to his strategy. It didn’t get the result.

“We stuck to what we wanted to do, 4-4-1. It’s another play defensively that we don’t get right to go down a goal. I’m satisfied with the structure at that stage, down a man,” Armas said.

“I think we saw a step forward with the team tonight even with the loss,” added Oli Larraz.

Injury Updates:

Colorado had a few injuries in this game. Mihailović subbed off with a hamstring injury. Armas said it was a cramp and he should be fine. The timing is unfortunate. Apple TV reported that he canceled personal plans to be available for the USMNT if someone would leave camp ahead of the Gold Cup.

Jackson Travis appeared to dislocate a finger in the first half. He played 90 minutes. Armas did say an X-Ray was possible. Colorado’s cautious with injuries. Josh Atencio was subbed off at halftime for back tightness.

Navarro did sub on in the 65th. Steffen is still dealing with an oblique. Keegan Rosenberry became a dad over the weekend. With all this, 10 days off will do the roster some good. Presumably, they’ll have a clean bill of health for June 7 vs Austin FC.

Hey, Hansen was great again.

“Nico once again was solid, strong, big saves, big presence. Not sure he’s surprising anyone these days with these performances. Very confident in all ways,” Armas said.

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

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