Many, many moons ago a wise veteran of the game once scolded me for suggesting one poor performance was a sign that the season would be a struggle.
“Young man, we’re playing in the league not the cup. It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” was his terse response.
While Saturday’s result and performance at LAFC were not at the standard set or expected, we need to note that it was one game. We also need to remind ourselves that those in the locker room will be acutely aware of how things unfolded.
This group of players are honest, and they will be busting their lungs to make amends in time for this weekend’s home opener with Atlanta United, a side which defeated Sporting Kansas City on opening day.
And let us not overlook the 1-0 home loss for the much-fancied Seattle Sounders, or the defeat at LA Galaxy of the defending champions, New York City FC, or the 5-0 pasting FC Cincinnati received in Austin.
Indeed, none of the five MLS teams involved in the Concacaf Champions League were able to start the season with a win. Only New England Revolution, who didn’t compete in the Round of 16 due to the withdrawal of their scheduled opponents from Haiti, avoided defeat in a 2-2 draw at Portland Timbers.
As fans and followers of the Burgundy Boys, we all wanted better. I suspect there were some forthright views among players and coaching staff following the 3-0 reversal inside Banc of California Stadium, but there must also be the realization that this was one game out of 34.
And, as my esteemed colleague Marcelo Balboa often tells me: “Buddy, it’s not how you start the season, but how you finish.”
Of course, we all wanted a strong start, as we all wanted a run in the Champions League.
But the early jolt can often be that wake-up call. Remember the home opener last season? The Rapids faced newcomers Austin FC, and took the lead through Andre Shinyashiki, only to suffer a 3-1 loss. They remained undefeated at home in the regular season from that point on.
That Austin loss came off the back of a goalless draw at FC Dallas a week earlier in the season opener. The Rapids had one point from two games and went on to post the most points in franchise history. It’s how you finish.
Clearly, this is not to diminish the disappointment felt by all of us after Saturday’s showing. And that includes those on the field. Sometimes we get caught up in our emotions and assume the players don’t feel as strongly. They do. They’re proud professionals.
But, again, it is one game.
Max Alves made his MLS debut, starting and playing 53 minutes, before being switched out for Michael Barrios. Max became the eighth Brazilian player to feature for the Rapids in MLS, after Edu (2012), Lucas Esteves (2021-present), Rafael Gomes (2008), Marquinho (1998), Thiago Martins (2006), Marcelo Sarvas (2015), and Andre Shinyashiki (2019-present).
Another Rapids debutant, Bryan Acosta, managed as many minutes as Max. The Honduras international was replaced by Diego Rubio, but not before making his 50th start in MLS. Acosta has two goals in 61 appearances, the most recent being the winner at this weekend’s opponents, Atlanta United, in 2019 when he was with FC Dallas.
The 28-year-old is the fourth player from Honduras to represent the Rapids, after Marvin Chavez (2014), Maynor Figueroa (2015), and Hendry Thomas (2012-13).
Other notable stats from Saturday’s encounter:
· Defender Lalas Abubakar made his 90th MLS start.
· Esteves hit double digits, making his 10th start for the Rapids.
· Rubio now sits on 120 MLS appearances.
· The Rapids still stand on 99 road wins all-time. Their next chance to hit the century mark will be March 19 when they travel to Houston Dynamo FC.
Time to regroup and refocus, with Atlanta United striding into DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Saturday for a first meeting since April 27, 2019, and only a fourth-ever contest against the Five Stripes. And it’s time to put the record straight.
Atlanta is 3-0-0 versus the Rapids, who have yet to register a goal against the Eastern Conference side, while conceding five – three of those were in the only previous match in Commerce City, on a scorching September day in 2018.
These, though, are different times. This remains a Rapids side which is battle-hardened. They retain the core which went through rough spells, and which finished the regular season in 2021 perched atop the Western Conference.
They know what went wrong in the City of Angels. They will want to right those wrongs in time for game two of the season.
In the words of Ted Lasso: “You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? A goldfish. You know why? It’s got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.”
See ya Saturday.
