Colorado Rapids Playoff Chances Dwindle in Disappointing Draw vs Minnesota United

Commerce City, CO – The Colorado Rapids have become predictable, underwhelming, and mid. On Saturday night, they hosted Minnesota United. A win and the Burgundy Boys likely make the playoffs. It was another frustrating second half that was their undoing.

Chris Armas changed things up in midfield. Josh Atencio was back from his MCL injury so he started in the double pivot with Connor Ronan. The lineup was otherwise unchanged. Cole Bassett again played out of position on the left in the 4-2-3-1.

For Minnesota, they were thin up top. They were in a defensive 5-4-1 with Bonnny Hlongwane starting out of position at center forward. Former Rapids fullback Anthony Markanich started on the backline.

Colorado were on the front foot in the first half. Paxten Aaronson set the mood with a late boot on Wil Trapp in the 8th minute for a yellow card.

The Rapids attachers all had looks. Calvin Harris had a header in the 11th minute on a set piece that he couldn’t get on target. Paxten Aaronson and Rafael Navarro had looks in transition. Colorado were asking questions and deserved a goal before halftime. They got it in stoppage time.

Navarro earned a free kick from the top of the box. After some discussion between Bassett and Rafael Santos, Santos took it. The Brazilian went to the right of the wall between players and into the far bottom corner! It was his first goal for the club and the second straight home game with a free kick goal.

The second half was an open but also boring. Nectarios Triantis scored out of nowhere in the 65th. Minnesota were knocking the ball around the top of the box. It was played back to Triantis who shot first time on a rope past Zack Steffen. Nobody saw it coming except the goalscorer.

Colorado didn’t respond as they have in the past after conceding. Harris had a header chance in the 70th that he wasn’t anticipating that he couldn’t get on target. The best chance in the final 25 came in the 75th. Navarro had a shot from the top of the box with traffic that went wide. Subs Darren Yapi and Ted Ku-DiPietro both had looks that were blocked.

There was controversy in the final minute of stoppage time. Reggie Cannon appeared to be pulled down from behind just outside the box but Ismail Elfath waived it off, possibly playing advantage. Colorado knocked the ball around. There were shouts for a handball, but there wasn’t anything there. This chaos eventually lead to a cross to Cole Bassett who headed it right at the keeper. The match ended 1-1.

Trouble with the low block, again:

Minnesota followed the playbook that other teams have used to have success at DICK’s. Play a low block, make Colorado break you down, play for transition. Colorado struggled finding space. For all the work Aaronson did in tight spaces, he’s had a trend of shooting right at the keeper.

Like the last month, they got into good situations but did not turn those into dangerous chances. Not enough of a response after the equalizer. Zero big chances created. Finishing has not been good enough. All that said, Armas seemed content with the performance for all the frustration with the result:

“When we look back at the game, we always want to get all the points at home. I’m proud of the way the team stepped on the pitch and finished the game. Felt like the Houston game. Late corner kicks. The push,” Armas said in his opening statement. “What we wanted to see was what we saw, minus the goal.”

“There were opportunities around the box if we just took the extra pass, we give a guy a better chance of scoring. If we’re more detailed on that final pass and see it, I think we will score more goals,” added Rob Holding, who was settled on the ball.

Yearning for that clean sheet:

Colorado has not kept a clean sheet since July 12, 12 games ago. The last two home games, they limited the opponent but not kept a clean sheet. Minnesota had just three shots on target, 0.65 xG. Still, they managed to score and get a point.

“We wanted a shutout. Really devastated. We need to keep working and stop midfielders with balls on the edge of the box. It’s a work in progress,” said Holding.

“Unfortunate to not come away with three points. We had most of the control,” Steffen told Burgundy Wave. “It’s been tough. A lot of the goals come from bad give aways. It’s a transition. We’re open. Teams are pushing us. We got to get connected better and keep them away from our net.”

Rafael Santos free kick magic:

Regardless of the frustrations from the run of play, Colorado continues to be inventive and clinical on set pieces. Santos now has a goal and three assists in 312 minutes played with the club. There’s still questions about his defending. But he has been a better Vines Back than Sam Vines. It’s his starting spot the rest of the season. He creates chances and forces the coincidence.

“Everybody is now paying attention to us taking free kicks. We try to switch it up, do something different each time. Happy to help the team. Cole and I had a discussion. A Minnesota player came up and said ‘we already know what you’re going to do.’ Luckily it went in,” Santos said through a translator.

Playoff implications:

Despite this and last week, the Rapids are still in 8th in the Western Conference. RSL and FC Dallas are within 3 points with games in hand. Dallas has two games against the LA Galaxy. RSL host the Rapids in the Rocky Mountain Cup next Saturday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m. MT. Colorado’s final game is LAFC at home, who are scoring goals in bunches.

The season, fittingly, comes down to next week. Rivalries exist in their own ecosystem.

Noche Latina was fun. So was Bark at the Park and fans getting potatoes. Reggie Cannon played through some pain but gutted it out.

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