For all of the hype surrounding three new signings and two on the back line, it seemed as if the same costly road mistakes that derailed last year’s Colorado Rapids season, emerged again Sunday night.
Alex Gersbach, Andreas Maxsø and Connor Ronan all got their first start for the Burgundy Boys, but Sunday wasn’t the result they had in mind as Colorado lost 4-0 to Seattle Sounders at a boisterous Lumen Field.
“I do think I have to take some of the blame because Seattle on the road, perhaps we may have been a bit too aggressive but we’ve certainly been working at being able to play at a number of different mannered ways, at times being more aggressive, at times being more conservative,” Rapids head coach Robin Fraser said. “Every time they got in behind us I thought they looked really dangerous and I thought we didn’t handle those situations well enough.”
Without key pieces in Diego Rubio (right knee), Jack Price (back) and Jonathan Lewis (left ankle), Fraser still put out a strong lineup as Ralph Priso and Cole Bassett were key cogs in the midfield alongside Ronan.
Colorado (0-1-0) had a pair of chances in the opening 10 minutes of the game. 18-year-old center forward Darren Yapi hit the crossbar in what was only the second start of his young career. Meanwhile, Sam Nicholson had a free header opportunity from a quick cross but it went wide.
The Rapids were aggressive in the first 15 minutes of the game, particularly in midfield, however, Seattle opened the scoring in the 25th minute as the reigning CONCACAF Champions League winners went from defense to attack quickly.
“The game plan was to get after them, suffocate them high up the pitch and I just think (Seattle) had that quality high up the pitch that, if we weren’t quite right on the press or if we mis-timed it a little bit they got in behind us,” Ronan said.
After a ball was crossed into the box by U.S. World Cup midfielder Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, another World Cup player for the Sounders, was denied from point-blank range by Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough, but couldn’t keep out a rebounded effort as Roldan made it 1-0.
Seattle capitalized just before the halftime whistle sounded, which was a backbreaker. This time, it was Morris who was the recipient after a ball was played into the left flank and wasn’t fully cleared. A second cross came into the box and Morris scored on a diving header on the last kick of the half to make it 2-0.
Colorado had an OK start to the second half with a few creative passes, but once again got burned on a bad giveaway. Keegan Rosenberry looked to find a defensive midfielder, but nobody was in the vicinity. Seattle quickly counterattacked and Seattle’s Héber buried an easy chance after Lalas Abubakar failed to clear a cross in the box to make it 3-0. Morris would add a fourth and his second of the game in the 83rd minute.
Fraser added that he didn’t have a status injury update on Rubio or Lewis, saying that they’re both making their way back from injury.
“Jonny’s coming along, Diego will be a little longer, but nothing earth-shattering to report. Still working to get guys healthy as quickly as possible,” he said.
On opening days in the last three seasons, Colorado is 0-2-1, all of which have been on the road and have been outscored 7-0 in that time period, while in the last two seasons, the team has combined for just three shots on goal.
“I know (next week) is going to be a very big challenge with Kansas City at home, but, I told them that ‘I want this to hurt,” Fraser said. “Because, it should hurt. We also have to take it and learn from it next week.”
Colorado will look to bounce back in its home opener next Saturday against Sporting Kansas City at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
