In a character-revealing performance by the Rapids on Saturday night, Designated Player striker Rafael Navarro showed up in two moments the team needed him most, striking twice in Frisco, Texas, to keep his team's hopes for three road points alive and earn himself his second brace of the season.
The final 2-3 result in favor of Colorado was earned after Navarro tied the match for the first time just 11 minutes into the first half, following an early Dallas goal. He then struck in the 76th minute to put the game at two apiece, leading the Rapids into their eventual game-winning goal by young Homegrown Darren Yapi.
For his first goal, Calvin Harris delivered a spot-on ball to the top of the six, where Navarro's one-touch shot was blocked by Dallas' goalkeeper. The striker's quick reflexes earned him the following header that sailed into the back of the net to equalize at 1-1.
He struck again late in the second half when Djordje Mihailovic's penalty kick was saved on the left post, Cole Bassett quickly jumped on the deflection and sent the ball back into dangerous territory for Navarro to slot it home. The second goal marked his second brace of the season after recording his first in a 0-3 road shutout of San Jose in April.
This Team of the Matchday honor is Navarro's third of the season (Matchday 9, Matchday 14).
Team of the Matchday - Matchday 30
F: Rafael Navarro (COL), Luis Suárez (MIA), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (MIN)
M: Diego Rossi (CLB), Ajani Fortune (ATL), Pedro Vite (VAN), Facundo Torres (ORL)
D: Luca Orellano (CIN), Sergio Busquets (MIA), Juan Mosquera (POR)
GK: Andre Blake (PHI)
Coach: Phil Neville (POR)
Bench: Gavin Beavers (RSL), Franco Escobar (HOU), DeJuan Jones (CLB), Marcel Hartel (STL), Evander (POR), Ryan Gauld (VAN), Mikael Uhre (PHI), Dominique Badji (DC), Ezequiel Ponce (HOU
