Late Mikael Uhre Brace Sinks Rapids at Philadelphia Union

Chester, Pennsylvania – The Colorado Rapids are a young team filled with resilience and fight. They are also a team that hasn’t won on the road since March 15. In these road games, they often find themselves a step slow and holding on for a result. Sometimes that works. Sometimes you give up too many big chances and a better team punishes you.

Chris Armas kept the same lineup injuries aside from the team that got a massive result at Seattle Sounders. Connor Ronan picked up an ankle injury in training. Josh Atencio was in the double pivot with Cole Bassett in the 4-2-3-1. The lineup otherwise was unchanged.

There were no big surprises from Bradley Carnell and Philly. MLS All-Stars Tai Baribo, Jakob Glesnes, and Kai Wagner started.

The home side had 63% of the ball and more chances in the first half. It was however a wide open game. Twenty four minutes in, Philly should have taken the lead. On a set piece, Bruno Damiani got an open header in the box. Zack Steffen dove for it at the goal line. The ball went off the post with Danley Jean Jacques appearing to get a touch in the chaos. Steffen somehow kept the ball on the goal line and out. This play came off a creative foul created by Baribo, who forced the contact and took down Andreas Maxsø to earn the free kick.

A minute later, Colorado could have had a third penalty in two games. Rafael Navarro sent a ball off an outstretched Union defender’s arm. The play was checked and deemed to be ball to hand due to proximity.

Colorado were at their best in transition. On one play Navarro tried to chip Glesnes to set up Bassett for a tap in but the center back blocked it. The Rapids attackers made up for it in the 37th. In transition, Navarro found Bassett for a look at goal. Bassett rocketed the ball off the crossbar. Navarro was there for the rebound for a diving header to make the game 0-1.

The half ended at that scoreline but both teams had looks. Baribo had that volley in the 20th minute that he put wide. Navarro tried that half court shot on Andre Blake before the goal that was off target. Quin Sullivan and Bruno Damiani had looks that Steffen made great saves on.

Minutes into the second half, Jacques had another great look. A header in the 47th was saved by Steffen. Union poured the pressure on as the minutes ticked down. Jovan Lukic had a look off a short corner that Djordje Mihailović blocked out for a corner.

The All-Stars would not be denied on the next corner. On another short corner Wagner found Baribo at the far post for a reaching touch to score. The ball was well placed and the Israeli beat Calvin Harris to the ball. The match was 1-1 in the 64th.

Colorado were hanging on in the final 20 minutes. They had good situations in transition but couldn’t execute. The Union backline were good in 1v1 defending moments. Lukic should have scored in the 80th on a run to stay onside but he missed the near post.

The Supporters’ Shield contenders would not be denied however. Substitute Mikael Uhre beat Steffen at the far bottom corner after a great first touch into space in the 89th. With Colorado stretched out on 90+5, Alejandro Bedoya sent the ball into space. Uhre put on the afterburners and beat Steffen between the legs. Cole Bassett was the closed man to him. The match ended 3-1.

Orange Zack Steffen can’t stop Rapids road woes. Mikael Uhre brace killed.

The Pids were the second best team throughout the game, but Steffen held his own in the new all orange goalkeeper kit. He made three saves in the first 11 minutes. Philly swarmed the defense and put them under pressure, especially in the second half. Twenty seven shots, 4.30 xG to Colorado’s 5 and 0.62, respectively. Philly was the better team. Steffen could only hold out for so long. That third goal was soft on his part though.

Ian Murphy wasn’t great in his first start since June 14. On another night Danley scores two himself. With this win, Philly moves to the top of MLS. Colorado had them 1-1 in the 88th minute. It wasn’t all bad. Three goals given up in the last four games. No road wins since March 15. Three points from nine games.

“It frustrates me that we stopped playing in the second half. It’s gosh, 4-5 results this year we have a lead, especially away from home and we stop doing the things that we’re good at. As leaders, we got to continue to harm that we can’t stop doing the things that get you the lead in the first place. It’s like playing prevent defense. We got to continue to work on that it in training. It annoys me,” Bassett told Burgundy Wave.

How did the midfield do without Ronan?

In short, not good enough. Atencio started. Oli Larraz subbed on for him in the 52nd due to a knee injury. It was so similar to other road games this team has had against great teams. They’re a reactionary and a step slow. They give up several big chances. When they win the ball back, they can’t string three passes together to release pressure or build attacks.

This all isn’t down to Ronan, but it is a factor. Atencio puts in the work defensively, but his passing is less vertical. Larraz is good in possession but also passes short. Bassett has had his best moments this season in a double pivot with Ronan. The veteran Irishman covers space to shield the back line and is probably the best 30 yard passer on the team. His skillset was missed in this game.

“Josh breaks a lot of things up. He does the defensive work that frees me up. Playing with Connor’s different. He’s so fun to play with. We see the game the same way. I try to mold my game to whoever I’m playing with. Oli and I had a great year together last year,” Bassett said.

Inconsistent Rapids counter attack:

Ronan’s absence aside, one shot in the second half is not good enough. This Rapids attack has a lot of promise, but the execution was not there in this game in the critical moments. The second half was a “race to the next goal” as Armas put it postgame. One team got into good situations but couldn’t turn those into chances. The other team had a bunch of chances and deservedly won the game.

“I would like to see us create more transition. If we’re more aggressive on a back line, we would have created more moments. The times that we did remain aggressive from compact structure, we were rewarded with big moments. In those moments, it’s always those fine details. Slowing down, making the right decision, executing at that fast tempo, it’s not so easy. We created a number of these that didn’t amount to enough. You have to give Philly credit,” Armas explained.

Also Baribo worked the refs on two plays where he initiated contact to earn free kicks. One let to the goal line play with Steffen. Respect the craft.

The Original Greek kits looked nice on TV, but it’s hard to read the thick blocky numbers.

Photo Credit: Colorado Rapids

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