COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – It was a rematch of last year’s Thanksgiving playoff game. Colorado Rapids hosted Portland Timbers. Both teams were dealing with significant injuries. The visitors were without Sebastian Blanco and Diego Chara. The home side did not have Jack Price, Lucas Esteves, and Danny Wilson starting due to injuries. Diego Rubio started up front with Gyasi Zardes ready to make things happen. And he did.
Colorado Rapids Portland Timbers Recap: Diego Rubio’s Wild Night
Lalas Abubakar appeared to open the scoring twenty minutes in. He headed in a ball on corner from Bryan Acosta. VAR eventually got involved with Armando Villarreal disallowing the goal for offside. Jonathan Lewis was right in front of goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic as Abubakar headed the ball, making contact with the keeper on the play.
Diego Rubio scored his fifth goal of the season a half hour in. Lewis won a free kick five yards from the top of the box. Rubio bent the ball over the head of Larrys Mabiala (who did not jump) and inside the post to make it deservedly 1-0.
Woop! 💫
Diego Rubio lifts the ball over the wall and puts it into the back of the net! pic.twitter.com/TDVfOdiab5
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 1, 2022
Portland’s best chance of the first half came in the 42nd minute. Marvin Loría chested down a cross from Dairon Asprilla right in front of goal. He then volleyed it right at goalkeeper William Yarbrough. The half ended 1-0, with five yellow cards handed out.
The match opened up in the second half. Loría and Gyasi Zardes both had good looks within 10 minutes. Loría skied a shot in space at the top of the box. Zardes took a few touches to set up a shot before firing wide of the right post.
Chaos began in the 63rd when Rubio was given a second yellow card for a late challenge on Justin Rasmussen. Colorado did not park the bus despite going down a man. Auston Trusty challenged Ivacic for a ball in the air minutes later with the two butting heads aftewards. Both were given cautions.
Lewis had possibly the best chance of the game in the 69th. Michael Barrios played him in on goal but he shot at Ivacic, who came off his line.
At the start of extra time, Asprilla shot just over the bar from the middle of the box. Portland pushed through seven minutes of stoppage time but were unable to score. In transition, Barrios found Mark-Anthony Kaye, who slowed the play down and fired the ball to the bottom left corner. The match ended 2-0.
Mark-Anthony Kaye with a stoppage time stunner! What a finish! pic.twitter.com/jlT13vz0ub
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 1, 2022
Three Key Takeaways:
Rubio’s wild night: This game had the best and worst of Rubio. He scored a great goal. He was Concacafy and annoying to the opponent. His emotions got the best of him as he rage quit the game with a red card.
Injured Portland lacking chances: Portland struggled in this game when Colorado had eleven on the pitch. Loría had the two best looks, neither of which were well taken. This team is not the same offensively without Blanco or defensively with Diego Chara.
Playoff familiarity ignites chaos: These two teams don’t like each other. This was a revenge game for Colorado. Rubio played like it, to help and hurt his team. His teammates used those emotions to fuel their win.
Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken, Last Word on Soccer.
