Commerce City, Colo.- Colorado didn’t have enough to overcome FC Dallas at home in their last MLS match for nearly two months. The Rapids gave up penalties that split the teams on the night and culminated in another Colorado Rapids loss.
Despite domination in possession and chance generation, it was a frustrating night on all fronts for Colorado.
Matt Wells was absent from the sideline, serving a disciplinary ban for yellow card accumulation. In the 12th minute, Paxten Aaronson made contact in the box, and the Rapids gave up a penalty early.
Aaronson fired back almost immediately with some brilliant link up play down the line with Georgi Minoungou. Then, in the 43rd minute, the Rapids gave up a penalty again, and Dallas retook the lead.
Colorado couldn’t find their way back into the game, Wayne Frederick got a red card on the bench, and the Rapids ended the match with a sour taste heading into the long break.
Nico Hansen
Besides the penalties, Hansen didn’t have much to do on the night. He was composed in buildup play and really unlucky not to save both penalties. A really unlucky night for the keeper and Colorado backline with the penalties and inability to get back into the match. Not much he could do on the Rapids loss. 6/10
Reggie Cannon
Not a bad night for Cannon. He was back into the MLS starting lineup after impressing during the Open Cup run. He defended well and helped stifle Dallas’s pragmatic attack. Cannon couldn’t do much on both penalties, but he got forward and played some dangerous balls into the box. He came off in the 81st minute. 7/10
Rob Holding
A solid performance from Holding on the night. He defended the box well and was really precise in his passing through the Dallas press. His decisions in possession were excellent, and the two goals conceded can’t be blamed solely on him. On the Rapids goal, he finds Rafael Navarro in a gap, who lays off Frederick, then plays the ball wide to Minounogou for a brilliant team goal. Holding came off in the 75th minute for Dante Sealy to offer more attacking threat. 6/10
Lucas Herrington
The Australian World Cup hopeful capped off his first half of the season in a Rapids shirt decently. The Rapids gave up penalties, but Herrington didn’t have much to do with either. A couple of times, he was beaten on the ball over the top but did well to recover. He was dangerous in the air but couldn’t get on the end of any services into the box. A difficult Rapids loss and tough to swallow for the backline. 6/10
Jackson Travis
Travis was back in the starting lineup at left back. He had a decent performance getting forward and in link-up play. Unfortunately, he didn’t bring enough impact into the match to turn the game towards the Rapids’ favor. It was another Rapids loss, but a really good performance on the ball from Travis. Travis was subbed off at halftime for Miguel Navarro. 6/10
Josh Atencio
Atencio was in at defensive midfielder again after an impressive performance midweek. He was very strong in tackles and progressing the ball forward. For the last ten minutes of the match, he was instrumental in moving the ball around to keep the pressure on Dallas. Atencio was good in pockets and even filled in at centerback to close the match. 7/10
Wayne Frederick
An up and down night for Frederick. He filled in at the defensive midfield pivot over Ojediran to offer some more attacking quality. On the first goal, he did brilliantly to time his run in space to lay the ball off to Minoungou who assisted Aaronson. Defensively struggled to close some gaps, and he was subbed off in the 58th minute for Connor Ronan. He also received a silly red card on the bench for dissent. 5/10
Paxten Aaronson
Aaronson was man of the match and for good reason. Despite giving up the penalty, he showed a real mentality to score immediately after and get the Rapids back into the match. Aaronson was good in pockets of space, turning and causing issues out wide and through the middle. His services into the box were decent, and it feels like there’s still another level to his game. 8/10 man of the match
Darren Yapi
Yapi was once again out wide and starting after really maturing into an impactful player. Yapi was bright and dynamic in 1-v-1 situations and created some really good opportunities late on in the half. He played some really dangerous balls into the box, but has to be a little more clinical on the ball and in space. 7/10
Rafael Navarro
A disappointing night for the striker. It was another game he could have added a goal or two. Navarro was good at holding up the ball and linking up with attacking midfielders. His work rate was exceptional, and he nearly scored off pressing the Dallas keeper. He’s always dangerous, but on a night screaming out for goals, he’s got to be clinical. 6/10
Georgi Minoungou
A solid night for the winger. Minoungou was brilliant on the opener for Colorado. He gets the ball in space and, unselfishly, lays it off to Aaronson who does the rest. The entire first half, he caused so many issues in 1-v-1 situations and was a serious threat. Minoungou gave away a silly penalty at the end of the first half. In the second half, he was less effective, and came off in the 75th minute for Alexis Manyoma. 6/10
Substitutes
Miguel Navarro
Navarro came into the match at halftime for Travis. He brought a lot of impact going forward, played dangerous balls in, and created a lot of opportunities. Navarro also received a silly yellow card late on in the match. 6/10
Connor Ronan
Ronan entered the match in the 58th minute for Frederick. He was precise in his passing and brought more defensive quality. He did well to progress the ball out wide and keep the pressure on Dallas for the last 20 minutes. 7/10
Dante Sealy
Sealy subbed on in the 75th minute for Holding to bring more attacking threat. He played dangerous balls into the box, was dynamic, and nearly got on the scoresheet. Late on, the Dallas keeper’s save deflated into Sealy’s path who couldn’t do enough from six yards out. 6/10
Alexis Manyoma
Manyoma also entered in the 75th minute and the Rapids were going for the equalizer. Manyoma made a few good forward runs and was dynamic out wide, but ultimately he couldn’t impact the match. His future with the Rapids is uncertain. 6/10
Keegan Rosenberry subbed on too late to be judged fairly.
Matt Wells
The Rapids are headed into the World Cup Break sitting 11th in MLS and in an Open Cup Semifinal. They’ve lost their last five out of six matches, and the Rapids loss is a somber end to the first half of the season.
Wells described to Burgundy Wave in the postgame press conference how far the football has come since the beginning of the season.
“The football is way ahead of where I thought it could be at this stage. It’s way ahead, but the mentality, the mindset, and the capacity to be winners is below where I would have hoped that we would have gotten to by this point,” Wells said postgame.
Wells has turned the Rapids into an exciting, possession-dominant team, but the most vexing part is the Rapids sit in 11th place, and are far from competing for an MLS Cup, at least now. He aims to address the mentality and turn the locker room into one of belief.
Unfortunately, tonight, like many nights this season, Colorado didn’t have the edge, and it resulted in more dropped points.
Despite the Rapids loss, a two-month break now looms, where decisions must be made and Wells will make his attempt at evolving the Rapids mentality. 6/10
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Matt Pollard 
Spencer Baldwin 