Colorado Rapids lose first match of the 2021 Rocky Mountain Cup 3-0

In what may have been the worst game we’ve seen from the Colorado Rapids so far this season, the Burgundy Boys return home empty-handed after a 3-0 loss at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.

It all started with a lapse in judgment from William Yarbrough in the 14th minute. Lalas Abubakar sent a pass back to the goalkeeper to restart the attack and Yarbrough flubbed the ball just enough for it to roll across the goal line and give Real Salt Lake the lead.

But they still had a chance, right?

Well, not if Bobby Wood had anything to say about it. In his second start since coming to MLS and signing with Real Salt Lake, the forward took on Keegan Rosenberry one-on-one and blasted a shot near-post on Yarbrough. 2-0 RSL.

Honestly, the Rapids were lucky they didn’t go down by more than two in that first half. They looked disjointed and just couldn’t get anything going. In the second half, though, they had some good chances. Cole Bassett narrowly missed on a free kick and an RSL defender saved a ball off the line on a Rapids corner kick.

But then Rubio Rubin made it three and that was all she wrote, folks.

It was the first goal the Rapids have allowed in the last 15 minutes of the game all season. They’ll be without Danny Wilson next week due to yellow card accumulation, though the centerback came out of the game limping, so he may be nursing an injury anyway. In the post-game broadcast, Brian Crookham suggested that Diego Rubio may be back, so Colorado will look to regroup and get back on track against Austin FC next weekend.