Leagues Cup Heritage! Rapids Santos has Wild Finish After Rafael Navarro Brace

Commerce City, CO – There is something about tight Leagues Cup games against Liga MX teams that brings out the best in the Colorado Rapids. A fantastic yet scoreless first half, a Rafael Navarro brace, and legendary Concacaf brawls. On Thursday night, the Rapids hosted Santos Laguna. It was Leagues Cup Heritage.

The starting lineup from Chris Armas was unsurprising given Josh Atencio was out with a knee injury. For the first time in 2025, Cole Bassett and Oli Larraz started in the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1. The lineup was otherwise as expected.

For Santos Laguna, former MLSer Cristian Dájome started on the left up front in a 3-4-2-1.

The first half might be the most exciting scoreless half I’ve ever seen. The Santos fans were electric for a week night. Colorado were energetic in transition and created set pieces by the dozen. They could have scored four.

Cole Bassett had a corner at the near post saved off the line by goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo. Djordje Mihailović tried three Olimpico. Acevedo dealt with them awkwardly with traffic. Navarro had a break away with keeper coming off his line. The Brazilian chipped the ball over him but off the post.

Late in the half, Ted Ku-DiPietro galloped into space and found Calvin Harris for a tap in but it was cleared off the line. First half stoppage time saw Bassett score with his back on a free kick but VAR ruled it offside.

The officiating was lenient to say the least. Trinidadian referee Kwinsi Williams let them play. Rafael Navarro had a 50/50 shoulder check on a potential break away minutes in. KDP got his leg swept by Kevin Balanta, who went to ground. He either milked it or that was the hardest foul he’s sustained all year.

Santos had some exciting moments where they almost broke out. But the half belonged to the MLS side. Their best chance was a 17th minute header off a corner. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen made a great save, stretching out.

The match turned on a dime in the second half. Santos were swarming with off the ball movement and direct play. The took the lead on 53 minutes. After some slick passing beat the press, Ramiro Sordo was onside to beat Steffen but his shot hit the post. He had another chance but it was played out for Jordán Carrillo, who scored an amazing scissor kick goal.

Colorado equalized in the 62nd. Reggie Cannon played Harris into space down the wing. Harris put on the afterburners to then squared it to Navarro for a tap in. The two sides traded open looks for the final 30 minutes. Somebody was going to be a hero. Once again, the Rapids founds a way to rise up and get a result to beat a Mexican team.

In the 85th minute, Navarro earns a savvy foul on Balanta outside the box. Mihailović put a ball in the perfect spot for Navarro to get to it first with the keeper staying on his line. Navarro found the back of the net on a fantastic volley.

Colorado were expert Concacaf trolls to see out the match. Steffen took his time on a goal kick with the entire Santos bench getting on their feet in protest. Then Calvin Harris earned a foul right in front of the Santos bench to wind them up even more.

Eventually players came together. Andreas Maxsø gets surrounded. Sam Vines comes in to stand up for him. Acevedo puts a hand to Vines’ face and Vines goes down. Soft contact or not, that’s a red card all day. A scrum formed with both sides shoving. Chris Armas got into it on the sideline and then the Santos bench nearly invaded the Rapids technical area. Language barriers aside, the crowd got into it as Armas pumping his arms in the air to hype up the crowd. Acevedo was sent off. The referee had enough and blew the whistle for full time.

Rapids Leagues Cup Magic was not a Fluke:

“Our guys believe that last year wasn’t a fluke. We found ways to win. You can see what makes the tournament so special. We have so much respect for the Mexican teams and the coaches. It pushes us. We have a lot of work to do. We love that we found a way to comeback late again, kind of like last year,” Armas told Burgundy Wave.

There is something about this tournament that brings out the best in them. The fight, the togetherness. The quality to score big goals in the critical moment. Bassett used the Spanish word picante meaning spice to describe how these games are different. When they are in a tight game against a Mexican team that could go either way, they are in their element. They roll up their sleeves, stick together, and rise to meet the moment.

Last year was not a fluke. Can this year be better? Armas and company think so. Mexican teams will doubt them at their own peril.

Leagues Cup Heritage:

“It was chaos. Everyone was in each other’s faces. They came up to Maxsø, I pushed them away. All I remember is he just swings and then I was on the ground. Passionate match. It’s just chaos,” Vines said of the brawl.

Zack Steffen that he loved the fans hyping up the dark arts and Concacaf-ing.

This game was peak Concacaf. It was on par with a USMNT El Tri game. The officiating was all over the place. Let everything go in the first half. Second half, the phantom yellow card on Mihailović, savvy fouls earned by both sides to set up set pieces. Four goals checked for possible offsides, only one called back.

It pops off at the end with the two scrums and the sending off. Santos fans showed up and were loud when the goal went in. Rapids fans responded with some WWE-stype hype from Armas which the players LOVED. The Rapids are built for this. This game was chaotic fun.

Colorado were world beaters in the first half but couldn’t finish their chances. Santos of course scores minutes into the second half. With this being their weakest opponent in Phase One, Colorado had one foot out the door. They rose to the occasion and brought the picante. They leaned on their experience from last season. They beat the opponent on the field and got in their heads. You just got Concacaf’d.

Bassett and Company Bounce Back:

“The reaction, we’ve talked about it in the locker room. We needed to come out with fire in the second half and we didn’t. That goal woke us up a little bit. We knew we needed to respond. We need to win these games outright. I was happy with the response. That’s a little bit more like it. I would still love a bit more possession in the second half. Way to battle back and get a win,” Bassett said with a smile.

The Rapids attack had maybe their best performance. And to do so after what happened on the weekend. Pretty much every attacker, starter or sub had good looks. On another night, they get four in the first half. Bassett had the goal called back. Substitute Darren Yapi had a few headers. Navarro hit a post in the first half, made up for it with a brace in the second half.

Mihailović could have had a hat trick on Olimpicos alone. They have been more dangerous on set pieces lately. Chris Sharpe has changed up a few looks. They clearly saw something in Acevedo making acrobatic saves but looking uncomfortable at times. If they can do that consistently at home and on the road, they can beat any Liga MX or MLS team.

The chaos resumes on Sunday. Colorado hosts Club Tijuana at 7:30 p.m. MT back at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park. Armas believes 7 points could be enough to make the quarterfinals. A win and they’ve got one foot in the knockout stage.

Photo Credit: John Babiak and Spencer Baldwin

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