Portland, Ore. – The Colorado Rapids played to a 0-0 draw inside Providence Park against the Timbers in a game where all three points were necessary.
The Rapids entered in the final playoff position, five points ahead of the Timbers, who needed a positive result to stay in the playoff race. It was a physical match from the get-go as Portland looked to dominate proceedings.
The starting XI was relatively the same with Paxten Aaronson on the bench, Kosi Thompson got a start, while Morgan Whittaker was in at the ten. Sayed Abu Farkhi was suspended from last week, leaving Darren Yapi up top. Former Rapid, Cole Bassett, was on the Portland bench.
The first half was cagey. Portland dominated large stretches of the half and created a lot of opportunities, coming close on multiple shots. It got chippy quick, neither team was able to find a rhythm or really look the better side. Colorado settled in and created chances of their own. Donavan Phillip came close and Whittaker found some joy.
Nonetheless, it was scoreless at the break with both teams needing something to give. The Timbers started quick, but the Rapids settled in and came close to breaking the deadlock a few times. Hamzat Ojediran and Aaronson entered in the 60th minute. Aaronson added some quality, but it remained scoreless.
Portland’s Vincent Janssen hit the crossbar late on. Ojediran nearly snuck one in in additional time, but it finished all level.
Attacking Frustrations
It hasn’t necessarily been a season of attacking joy for Colorado. Despite having 58% possession, they only had four shots and one on goal. They consistently get into good areas down the wing with Whittaker, Georgi Minoungou, Ibrahim Sadiq, and Phillip. There is just that final attacking quality or decision missing.
It’s been the same conversation with Colorado the entire season, and with a slim number of games left to clinch playoffs, those goals need to start manifesting themselves.
“Yeah, I think first and foremost, I just said to the guys, so proud of the mentality and the spirit, the organization,” Wells said.
“We came here, and all the themes, but we can’t lose. We cannot lose this game, have to come here and show a stability about our game, a strength about our game.”
Tonight was a good defensive showing, but it’s another frustrating draw for Colorado.
“Of course, we could have could have had a bit more quality in the final third,” Wells told Burgundy Wave.
“I thought it was a tight game, and I’ll be honest, I thought we probably shaded it, but I do think a draw was a fair result. So, we’ll take it as a really good point, and we’ll move on to the next one.”
Late on, Yapi found himself in a good area, where he could have slipped one off to Ojediran, but chose to take it on himself missing wide.
Moments like these are what separates crucial points.
A Physical and Chippy Battle
It’s late into the MLS season and every point matters for both the Timbers and the Rapids.
Tonight was an extremely competitive match, but oftentimes the game gets a little away from rhythm and structure. From the start, it was an intense, chippy, and physical game.
A lot of yellow cards, fouls, and stoppages took place. In the first half, a scuffle breaks out after Whittaker fouls Kristoffer Velde harshly. There could have easily been a red card handed out.
Former Rapid, Omir Fernandez, got shoved out of play by Miguel Navarro in the first half as well. It went to VAR for a penalty check and was ruled to not be foul play.
Maybe this physical style is a style that suits Colorado going forward. There was a real mentality, confidence, and strength that was shown throughout the match.
“Of course, we always want to play with rhythm. Like we started, we started the first half so well tonight,” Wells said.
“I thought we were outstanding in the early stages of the game, and we had such good rhythm and fluidity. But we can’t be naive and expect to come to a place like this, which has a really good atmosphere.”
“The fact that we came to a difficult place, a difficult environment, and yeah, we looked a really strong team this evening, and we have to retain that. It can’t be a flash in the pan. We have to retain that now for the remaining four games,” Wells added.
Pressure and having to fight for something late on the season is never a bad thing for a team.
“I thought our commitment to finding that clean sheet was massive, and yeah, that’s the area that pleased me the most this evening.
Portland has historically not been a kind place for Colorado to go, so picking up points away from home is a positive, and finding some confidence into the last four matches is massive. Colorado had lost 13 of 17 matches all-time at Providence Park going into their match, with a five-game losing streak all competitions.
Playoff Implications
With the draw, Colorado now sits in ninth place with four games to go. The Rapids are clear just three points ahead of Real Salt Lake.
Vancouver, Chicago, San Jose, and Dallas await Colorado. It’s not an easy end to the season by any means, and if Colorado can sneak into a play-in round or a playoff berth, you have to wonder if they’re able to make a deep run.
“I’ve realized we’re a little way away from where I want us to get to as a team. Just in terms of the stuff, I keep alluding to this evening about the strength and the stability of the team in key moments,” Wells said on the mentality of the team.
“I thought we did that to really good effect. I loved how mature we looked this evening as a group,” Wells added.
“We looked together. We looked committed.”
In terms of conceding goals and a bit of a late season drop off, there are plenty of positives to take from the night. The Rapids are still in good position to clinch playoffs and that would be an improvement from last year.
“We had a great energy between us this evening, and we needed that because we were fighting against a really strong crowd and a good team with really good attackers.”
There’s still loads to play for, and Colorado is focusing on achieving that objective.
Yes, it’s another meh attacking performance, but it’s a good point, and a positive night for the Rapids.
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Zach Lowy 
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