TORONTO – As Robin Fraser once said, “I think the game was a reflection of the oddity of the event.” Colorado Rapids played a lunchtime kickoff at Toronto FC the day before Easter. Despite being at 1 p.m. (11 a.m. MT), this game was full of MLS After Dark chaos. With 3 red cards, 8 yellows, and 5 goals, who needs the Djordje Mihailović storyline? The Rapids 10-v-9 were entertaining in defeat.
Wayne Frederick II got his third straight start for Matt Wells. Miguel Navarro was at left back with Jackson Travis on the right. With Frederick in midfield, Paxten Aaronson was at left wing. Off his national team debut, Lucas Herrington started at center back
Record signing Josh Sargent started up top for the Reds. Former Rapids maestro Mihailović was not in the team. He had a pelvis injury.
This game was disjointed. Unhinged. It had been raining throughout the morning, which wasn’t ideal for attendance or the pitch. Toronto were comfortable on the ball and created space by moving the ball. Colorado were violent in their press at times. Players made direct runs with through balls in behind.
TFC had a flurry of chances to open the game. Daniel Salloi uncorked a shot from outside the box that goalkeeper Zack Steffen handled. In the 18th, Walker Zimmerman had a volley on a free kick that he sent over the bar. Josh Sargent, still waiting for his first MLS goal, had some half chances. The best look of the half came from Alonso Coello in the 12th minute. Steffen made a great diving save.
The story of the half came in the 32nd minute. Travis went flying in late on Raheem Edwards, stepping on his foot. He was initially given a yellow card but VAR overturned the call. It was a second ever red card for Jackson Travis, having been sent off July 9, 2025 at LAFC for an elbow on Sergi Palencia.
Colorado got out of the half 0-0. It was looking to be a tough afternoon but that changed in six minutes. The half opened up with Frederick get elbowed from behind by Edwards just outside of the box. After several minutes, VAR ruled the play a DOGSO free kick. It was now 10-v-10.
Paxten Aaronson stepped up and smashed the ball underneath the wall and past Luka Gavran. Just like Mihailović did last year vs Seattle.
Colorado then made it 0-2 in the 54th. Rafael Navarro chased down a long ball and took on Zimmerman. He crossed to the middle of the box. The ball was headed to an onrushing Keegan Rosenberry, who subbed on after the Travis red, who hit the back of the net.
The Rapids were level on players and two goals to the good. Then it all came crashing down.
Richie Laryea scored on a looping shot that caught Steffen off guard. It was from a sharp angle with an xG of 0.03. It was 1-2 in the 65th. Laryea then got clipped by Miguel Navarro outside the box in the 74th. Navarro was already on a yellow, and was given a second. It was now 10-v-9.
In the 77th, Rafa Navarro appeared to be fouled by Jonathan Osorio. Play resumed. Sargent chased down a loose ball but Rosenberry hoofed it out of danger to the goalkeeper. Steffen didn’t get his chest on the ball, and slipped past him and in. 2-2.
Inevitably, Sargent would get his debut goal for the Reds. Unmarked on a corner in the 85th, he scored.
The game devolved into tired chaos with so few players on the field. At one point, Alexis Manyoma was on for 10 minutes, having been subbed off after the third red. There were 12 minutes of stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough. Colorado lost 3-2. Lucas Herrington did well to prevent a fourth goal as a sweeper center back.
Busy day for referee Ricardo Montero:
I see the logic behind the big calls of the officials made. Travis stepped on Edwards with the ball gone. If Edwards doesn’t shoulder check Frederick, he has a breakaway, DOGSO. The one replay on the broadcast on the Navarro second yellow was not a great angle. If there is contact, that’s a yellow. I don’t believe a ref should call a foul differently because a player is already on a yellow.
In short, the three red cards had justification. Matt Wells was frustrated with the officiating across the board.
“To get a second booking when we had the game under control, then I watched the incident back and it’s never ever a foul, let alone a booking. If that’s a foul, how is Rafa not fouled in the build up to the (Steffen own) goal?” he told Burgundy Wave.
“We had to have VAR intervene for what is the most blatant foul and red card in the back of Wayne Frederick, how is the decision gone to VAR when every single person in the stadium could see that was an infringement?”
Wells also questioned a potential penalty for Dante Sealy in the opening minutes. He thought Miguel Navarro’s first yellow could have been a foul in his favor.
Keegan Rosenberry added his thoughts on MLS referees more generally:
“Our disappointment is the impact that they feel they need to make on the game. That’s been proven across the league time and time again, not just with us.”
I agree with the three red card calls. I didn’t think any of the potential penalties were PKs. Navarro got fouled before the own goal. I wouldn’t be shocked if Wells gets fined.
No Djordje, still lots of spice:
With Mihailović not in the squad with a pelvic injury, I thought this game lost a lot of its juice. Three red cards made up for that. Once the game went 10-v-10, it was a mess. Navarro was trying to work the refs. Players confronted Montero at stoppages and with play still going on. There could have easily been a fourth red.
Rafa had a nice moment with Fraser after being subbed off. Rosenberry had brief interactions with a handful of people.
“It’s crazy. Usually you don’t find so many old relationships in the same place. Usually they’re sprinkled throughout the league. A positive conversation after the result, it’s always difficult. You put that aside for a second, human to human, hug each other. It’s good to see people that worked together for a long time and enjoyed some real success together.”
I cannot imagine what Djordje was thinking watching this game.
Steffen’s second half meltdown:
Yeah, bad day for Steffen. First goal he gave up was soft. The second goal adds to an ignominious history of Rapids national team goalkeeper own goals. It’s goals like this that have him not in the USMNT pool. He’s still a good leader. He’ll bounce back. But this is a concern for this team.
“I just got done speaking with him. I said, ‘It’s done. Forget about it. You’re so well loved here.’ There’s no good dwelling on it. That’s all that needed to be said. He’s such a bib piece of what we do here,” Rosenberry said of his teammate.
On the positive side, playing down
Yes the Rapids blew a lead. If there is a positive, they handled the first half well down a man. At one point, they were dominating at 10-v-11. If this team can be consistent, they could be really really good.
“My feeling is immense pride of how we played 10 against 11,” said Wells. “My immense frustration is that at 2-0, we stopped playing that game. When we stick to our identity, we’re a top team. When we veer away from that identity, we’re vulnerable.”
“We had it under complete control despite some very disappointing refereeing.”
On another day, they shut up shop and win 0-2 10-v-10.
Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. You can also make a one-time contribution via Tip Jar. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.
Spencer Baldwin 
Eamon Shaw 
Mentioned this elsewhere, but: I respect Zack’s history and career, but how many times do we need to lose games because he had another “bad day”? I feel like his poor performances are now just as common as his great ones.
If you’re the manager, you look past his years in the league (and stint overseas, usmnt) and finally ask: Do we win these games with Nico Hansen?
I believe we win more of them with a different starter.