Denver, Colo.- On Saturday afternoon, 75,824 fans came to Mile High and got what they paid for. A Lionel Messi golazo and a barn burner of a game. The Colorado Rapids gave the GOAT and Inter Miami everything they could handle in front of the second largest crowd in MLS history. Result aside, hopefully this is a statement that will help the club succeed on the field and in the Denver sports landscape this year under first year Head Coach Matt Wells.
Lineup wise, Kosi Thompson made his second league start in a row. Jackson Travis was in at left back with Miguel Navarro on a hamstring injury. Georgi Minoungou started up top in a 4-4-2. The lineup was otherwise unchanged from the squad that beat Houston Dynamo.
For Miami, the player everyone cared about, Lionel Messi, started in attack. Germán Berterame started up top off his first goal. Facundo Mura started at left back with Sergio Reguilón out.
This was a game of two halves. To my surprise, Miami came out and actually pressed the Rapids. It wasn’t frequent, but they had pressing triggers. When they went for it, it was effective. Even Messi was pressing. Colorado was limited in chances and two mistakes led to goals in the first half.
In the 14th, Colorado were playing out of the back. Steffen sent a pass with pace to Josh Atencio, who had a heavy touch. Yannick Bright got goal side on the ball and Atencio pushed him down. It seemed 50/50 on replay but several minutes later, after referee Jon Freemon called the penalty. Messi passed it into the net with Steffen guessing the wrong way.
In first half stoppage time, Paxten Aaronson took down a hopeful ball but lost it as he was pounced by Miami players. That ended in fantastic header from Berterame. After a poor start in Miami, he has two goals in two games. It was 0-2 at halftime.
Miami was more compact to start the second half. Colorado had time and space on the ball. The visitors did a fair bit of time wasting. Their attacks came off of turnovers and hopeful long balls. Dayne St. Clair’s distribution left a lot to be desired.
Colorado scored twice in four minutes at the (Yapi) hour mark. Incisive passing got Rafa Navarro the ball in space at midfield. He went full “Encara Messi, encara Messi,” side stepped Micael and hurried it. Then, two minutes after subbing on Darren Yapi made it 2-2. He ran through a wide gap in the defense and Lucas Herrington lobbed a beach ball to him. Yapi threaded it past the keeper and in.
The match hung in the balance with 28 minutes to go. The teams traded chances with Colorado attacking in waves and Miami waiting for a turnover with space to counter. Yapi and Minoungou both had half chances for the home side.
In the 79th, “Messi turned into Messi,” as Rob Holding said postgame. A battle at midfield saw De Paul find Messi with space. He dribbled forward, “Encara Messi,” cut inside, and shot between four defenders past Steffen top far corner.
Colorado were unable to find an equalizer. Miami wasted time. Yapi had a shot across goal that was the best look. Right before stoppage time, Sealy earned a free kick. Eventually the referee gave Yannick Bright a red card for offensive language towards an opponent. The match ended 2-3.
Inter Miami gave Matt Wells Ball a taste of its own medicine:
In many ways, Colorado outplayed Miami. 62% possession. The xG was 1.60 to 1.24. Take away the penalty (0.79 xG) and Miami had 0.45 xG. They were clinical. That’s why their roster is worth tens of millions. One could argue on the three goals, Miami played Matt Wells Ball against the Rapids. Two pressing triggers to force turnovers. Then a counter attack with great physical output and skill. That’s football.
“There was one team on the pitch. I thought we were outstanding from start to finish… It’s a travesty we didn’t win the game. There will be moments the goals that we need to analyze and improve,” Matt Wells said postgame.
“The work we did in the first half was instrumental in how tired Miami were in the second half… We attacked a little bit more of the deep space in the second half.”
Miami was very well prepared to press the play out of the back through Steffen. Clearly, the Rapids are to keep trying to make playing out of the back work. This despite it leading to mistakes and goals. It’s not clear to this reporter that it’s working. High risk, but what’s the vision for how that’s a reward?
“We’re going to keep doing that. That’s how we play. We attract teams to come and press us. We’ll pick you off. There was a slight mistake but we’re not going to change that for anything. That’s who we are,” Holding told Burgundy Wave.
Messi is the GOAT. What can you do?
For the dominating the Rapids did, this feels similar to other big games where they are at a talent disadvantage. Colorado plays well. Has the field tilt. They get a bunch of chances. Can’t finish. And the star DP for the opponent wins the game. The Thanksgiving game. Matches against LA Galaxy and LAFC. This one is different though because Messi’s done that to world class defenses for 20 years. It was special to witness. It sucks to be on the end of it given the performance.
“He’s done that to (Sergio) Ramos, (Virgil) Van Dyke. That’s what he does. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You’ve played against Messi. Now learn from that,” Holding said. “You can still have a long career just because you made one little balls up (mess up).”
“Apart from the mistake(s), we controlled the game. All they need is a special moment,” added Yapi.
The officiating:
Wells criticized the officiating but did not think it was the deciding factor:
“All I want ever is consistency. If you’re going to officiate in that way, we should have, could have had at least two penalties… My bigger gripe at halftime with the referee was more around their time wasting… I don’t like time wasting. I think the fans are here to watch a spectacle… It’s not why we lost the game.”
From the press box, it did feel like the penalty set a precedent. Then there were a lot of no calls. Navarro and Yapi both had potential penalty shouts in the second half. The second half had seven minutes of stoppage time.
Messi League Soccer tourism:
The announced attendance was 75,824. It surpasses the club record was 61,213 on the 4th of July, 2001. It is the highest attended game in Colorado state history, beating Denver Summit’s 63,004 from last month. It is the second highest attendance in MLS history (82,110, El Trafico at the Rose Bowl, July 4th, 2023).
Looking at colors and hearing the reactions to goals, it felt 60/40 Rapids. The crowd was there for Messi, but most were supporting the Rapids. This was a game the casual Pids supporter, general Denver sports fan, etc. chose to shell out to go it. There were a fair number of Messi Tourists. Presumably many are local and potential Rapids fans.
“If we want to go where we want to go to, which is MLS Cup, these things can’t intimidate us,” Yapi said of the atmosphere and the reality that many in attendance where there to see an opponent. The players and staff are clearly focused on what they can control on the field, not the narrative around the club’s relevance in the market.
“It’s an occasion. Are you going to rise to it? I think we rose to it,” said Aaronson. “It’s an amazing sports city. Huge credit to our fans for coming.”
There was much about this game that I hated. Selling Messi jerseys under a Rapids tent is treason. If nothing else, I hope the club uses the income from this game to improve itself. I hope they convert some of the getable fans. The first timers saw the Rapids ball out. They deserve better support.
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Spencer Baldwin 
Eamon Shaw 