The Colorado Rapids showcased their strength at altitude on Saturday afternoon as they shut out visiting Atlanta United FC 3-0 at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park for their first win of the 2022 MLS season. The Burgundy Boys’ MLS home opener was highlighted by goals from strikers Diego Rubio, Jonathan Lewis and Andre Shinyashiki.
The Rapids’ victory marks their 16th MLS home opener win in club history and first-ever win against the Five Stripes in four contests. A total team performance including compact defense, timely saves, physicality and an attack that came to life gave the home crowd much to celebrate in the dominant win.
“The biggest thing for me is we had a really, really, really good defensive shape––I think their best players couldn't really get on the ball unless it was just right in front of us,” said Lewis post-game. “They didn't really penetrate us except for I think the one chance at the end of the first half from [Josef] Martinez but other than that, I thought defensively we had a really good game and that set us up now to put us in good attacking spots.”
Colorado's forwards contributed all three goals and added two assists on Saturday.
Man of the Match, Rubio, put Colorado on the scoreboard first in the 33rd minute when a Michael Barrios floated cross found Rubio’s head in the six. Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan got a touch on the ball but it wasn’t enough to keep the Rapids from their first home goal of the MLS season. The goal marks Rubio’s 20th with the club and Barrios’ seventh assist in burgundy.
The 1-0 lead going into halftime gave the Rapids the edge they needed in the second half, evidenced by goalkeeper William Yarbrough’s four saves and Lewis’ and Shinyashiki’s goals.
Lewis found the back of the net just minutes into the second half when Rubio dropped a ball just over defender Alan Franco’s head for a Lewis volley sent rocketing past Guzan. The strikers' combined efforts doubled the Rapids’ lead and marked the beginning of the end for Atlanta.
Yarbrough’s presence between the posts was impassable for all 90 minutes on Saturday as he and the Rapids’ back line shut down 12 Atlanta chances, four of them on frame. Colorado’s keeper came up big in the net in the 53rd minute to knock away Atlanta’s best chance of the match, a point-blank stop off a set piece play that nearly put Atlanta on the board.
Atlanta defender Miles Robinson contributed to the southern side’s ultimate nail in the coffin on Saturday when he earned his second yellow card and subsequent red to put Atlanta down to ten men in the 86th minute. The Rapids responded quickly, as a Lucas Esteves drive into the box and slotting cross found Shinyashiki on his right foot to slip a ball past Guzan’s right side for the third and final time of the match. The Brazilian winger’s assist was his first with the club in a regular season match.
“To win in this league you have to be good on the attacking end and collectively you have to be good on the defending end,” said head coach Robin Fraser. “You can't have player take plays off and I felt like the work rate from the entire group was really good. The dedication of the front group to get back and give us density was necessary. And when we do that we become more difficult to play against.”
Up next, the Rapids will welcome Sporting Kansas City to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, March 12. Kickoff at altitude is set for 7:00 p.m.
