COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (June 1, 2018) – The Colorado Rapids lose again as Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated them on Friday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The final score was 2-1 with Cristian Techera, Yordy Reyna, and Edgar Castillo scoring. With this, the Rapids have tied a club record of seven consecutive league losses, a record they set in 2014.
Colorado Rapids lose 7th straight, tying club record in 2-1 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC
The match started at a decent pace. Colorado pressed Vancouver in the midfield and got several opportunities on set pieces. Vancouver looked to attack on the counter. The visitors got on the board first in the 17th minute. Efraín Juárez won the ball outside the Whitecaps box, got past Jack Price and sprung a counter tack. It was ultimately a 3-on-3 with Cristian Techera making a move around Tommy Smith to score.
Vancouver doubled their advantage in the 39th minute. Again on the counter, Alphonso Davies had his cross into the box deflected. Yordy Reyna stepped up and volleyed it in the first time.
The Rapids responded with a goal in the 41st minute with Edgar Castillo basting the ball past Brian Rowe after some good build up. The half ended 1-2 with the Rapids frustrated at two no-calls on potential handballs in the box. Defender Axel Sjoberg was subbed out at halftime for Danny Wilson for a potential head injury.
The pace slowed in the second half with Vancouver playing deep to protect their lead. Anthony Blondell and John Blomberg both had decent looks from a good position but were easily saved.
Substitute Shkelzen Gashi had a great chance mere feet from goal in the 79th minute on a cross. His left foot and Rowe’s hand met the ball almost simultaneously and it deflected across the goal line and just wide of the far post.
The match ended 1-2.
Three takeaways:
Counter attacks counted: Vancouver scored both goals in the counter-attack with their numbers even with the Rapids. Reyna and Techera did well to finish in the box with traffic in front of them. On both plays, the Rapids needed someone to make a play; they didn’t but Vancouver did.
Corner non-conversion: The Rapids had 12 corners in this game and several other set pieces from good range. None of them led to good looks on goal. The service was decent at times by Jack Price, but no one was able to attack the ball or create separation.
Rapids tie club record: The Colorado Rapids have now tied a club record with seven straight losses in league play, a record the club set back in 2014. The performances haven’t been good enough as the defending wasn’t urgent on the two goals and the team didn’t push enough in the final 20 minutes to try and tie the match.
