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The Colorado Rapids started the second half of their season on the road north of the border. Sadly, this trip to Canada did not go as well as the last one on Sunday. Montreal Impact 2, Colorado Rapids 1.
If you were looking for some entertaining soccer, this was not the game for you. If you were looking for a stout defensive effort, you got more than you counted on. The Colorado Rapids (4-11-3 ), playing their third game in six days, with two travel issues on each leg, came out in a 5-4-1 defensive posture with Yannick Boli on an island up top, and that’s about all they contributed in the first half (taking zero shots—not on target, shots). The Rapids struggled greatly in keeping possession, with Montreal possessing 67% of the time, but fortunately struggled to put the ball on frame. 0-0 at the break.
The second half started out more of the same. In the 50th minute, Dominique Badji was subbed on for Yannick Boli.
55’: Tim Howard made an error again. His goal kick out to Jack Price was turned over, and resulted in a 1-0 by Saphir Taider.
57’: Taider scores again on another turnover by the Rapids.
McBean came on for Joe Mason 69’ in hopes of providing some sort of spark. Dominique Badji took the Rapids first shot on goal in the 78th minute— and scored, making it 2-1. He broke the Impact’s 400+ minute streak for not allowing a goal.
Badji puts Rapids on the scoreboard in MontrealGOAL! Dominique Badji slams home his seventh of the year!! Montreal leads 2-1 with about 10 minutes to play.
Posted by Colorado Rapids Soccer Club on Saturday, July 7, 2018
Gashi comes on in the 87th minute, but to no avail. The final whistle blows four minutes into stoppage time. Impact 2, Rapids 1.
The Impact took 20 shots on goal, with seven on target and two in the back of the net. The Rapids took two shots, two on target, and one in the back of the net. As one would imagine with their game plan, they only possessed the ball 31% of the time with zero (zero!) corners.
The next game for the Rapids will happen next Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park where the Rapids will face former Rapid Jared Watts and the Houston Dynamo. Here’s hoping for more offense, crisper passing, and fewer mental errors from the veterans.