SEATTLE, WA (October 24, 2017) – The Colorado Rapids lost their final game of the 2017 season on Sunday. Seattle Sounders FC defeated them 3-0 on goals from Will Bruin and Nicolás Lodeiro.
Seattle Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Stefan Frei — Kelvin Leerdam, Román Torres, Chad Marshall, Nouhou Tolo — Cristian Roldan, Nicolás Lodeiro — Harry Shipp, Clint Dempsey, Joevin Jones — Will Bruin
Colorado Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard — Eric Miller, Kortne Ford, Axel Sjoberg, Mike da Fonte — Bismark Boateng, Mohammed Saeid — Marlon Hairston, Stefan Aigner, Dillon Serna — Dominique Badji
Colorado Rapids Lose Final Game Of The Year 2-0 At Seattle Sounders FC
The first half was almost all Sounders. They scored just nine minutes in after Leerdam found Bruin open in the box on the counter. Bruin almost had a brace after hitting the post in transition later in the half.
The match appeared to turn on its head with Clint Dempsey was given a straight red card. After a VAR review, the official sent Dempsey off for an elbow swing at defender Mike da Fonte. Dempsey clapped the decision and took his time leaving the field.
Colorado nearly tied it before the half with a great half-volley opportunity from Stefan Aigner. The half ended 1-0.
The second half was all about penalty kicks. First Harrison Shipp was whistled for a handball in the box just six minutes into the half. Dominique Badji stepped up to take the PK, trying for his 10th goal of the season, but struck the ball off the post. Then in the 60th minute, Will Bruin was taken down in the box by Axel Sjoberg. Nicolás Lodeiro stepped up to take it and converted.
Lodeiro added a third in stoppage time on the run. The Sounders won 3-0 despite playing down a man for almost forty minutes.
Scoring Summary:
9′ Seattle – Will Bruin, assisted by Kelvin Leerdam and Clint Dempsey
64′ Seattle – Nicolás Lodeiro (PK)
90’+4′ Seattle – Nicolás Lodeiro (unassisted)
Last Word:
There isn’t much to say about this game given the two teams and what they had (or didn’t have) to play for. Dempsey probably should have gotten more than just the suspension and the fine for his incident with the official and Da Fonte.
From a Rapids standpoint, the biggest disappointment has to be Badji not getting to double digit goals. He had a great opportunity on the PK. There was space between Frei and the post, he just missed it. Now the Rapids turn to the off-season where changes are coming.
