Patient Colorado Cashes In For Latest Home Win

By Brian Jennings

After showing their willingness to work to spring the attack forward with Dominique Badji in the first half, the Rapids stayed cool in the second half and pounced on their better chances late for their third straight home win.

Badji was denied repeatedly by the valiant efforts of Columbus’ Zack Steffan early on to keep the game scoreless at halftime.  Colorado midfielder Mohammed Saeid thought the Rapids were at times a bit too hasty and not ready to make the important move as soon as it may have presented itself.  “We could’ve been more patient with the ball.  Sometimes we were forcing it too much but making that first pass forward was key,” admitted the ex-Crew player.

“If we think too much it’s gone-the opportunity you have.  It’s about seeing it before you even win the ball,” Saeid told The Voice of C38 postgame.  “Once I win it I know where I’m going. That’s all we’ve got to do and we’ve got to work on it even moreso because I feel we could’ve done even better.”

Columbus was a side that moved well without the ball and had plenty to be mindful of in the playmaking of Justin Meram and Frederico Higuain, but it was nothing the Rapids couldn’t handle according to Saeid.  “They’re always dangerous with the quality they have in their team is maybe one of the best in the league and we just had to make sure defensively we were tuned in.  We know what kind of spaces they kind of want to get into.  I was part of it for some time, so I know maybe a bit of the weaknesses.”

Despite going down a goal in the second half with a flukey deflection off of Colorado’s Michael Azira, Saeid was pleased with how the Rapids stuck to their plan and seized the counter-attack opportunities they knew would arise.  “Once we won the ball we’d go straightforward,” Mo explained.  

“Sometimes I’d be stuck up there because I couldn’t make it back and it would be a counter for us.  It doesn’t have to be that we own the possession 90% but it’s when we get the ball we need to create very good chances and I thought we did that throughout the game.”

Kevin Doyle’s equalizer was a great example of being ready with a quick-decision led buildup involving a handful of players. Shkelzen Gashi eventually spring Marlon Hairston deep into the Columbus box.  The perfect low ball across the goalmouth was deftly put away by Doyle’s lunging tap.  The game-winner was similar in that it started with keeper Zac Macmath’s long ball to Josua Gatt out wide left.  His quick look and cross to Alan Gordon at the back post was too much for the Crew on the night.

“Being at home and all that’s what we’ve got to do-we’ve got to be on the front foot,” Saeid summed up.  “If we lost it, we’d press and win it back, that’s how we created our chances.”