Colorado Rapids 2 took home their first road win of the season in a 4-2 victory over Timbers2 at Hillsboro Stadium on Sunday night. First team loans Max Alves, Sebastian Anderson, Darren Yapi and Yaya Toure were the goal scorers for the evening, earning Colorado three points in its match against Portland.
“There were some mature performances out there and a great deal of hard work,” said Rapids 2 head coach Erik Bushey. “It is going to be hard for people to understand just how much the heat, the sun combined with the turf, and the work that is necessary. They were very difficult conditions for us to play in. The guys came in at halftime and actually looked fresh. They looked like they could go out and give more. They were ready to go. So, the fitness level that we have talked more about before was tested. There was a real spirit of togetherness and fight. It is amazing what a little bit of quality can do to add to that spirit and fight. That is what we saw tonight."
The Sunday night match was one for the books as the Rapids put up a whopping four goals to overtake a two to zero deficit. The first 30 minutes of play were marked by a defense heavy performance from Colorado who found themselves in many dangerous positions in the first half. However, it was in the 36th minute where the game took a turn as a Portland attacker was taken down in the box, earning the home team an opportunity from the penalty spot, which they converted for the first goal of the night. Minutes later, a fumbled ball in the box allowed Timbers2 to gain a two to zero lead on the Rapids in the 41st minute.
With the team down by two, Sebastian Anderson played a clean ball in from behind, finding the feet of Yaya Toure who was taken down in the box for a Rapids penalty. First team loan Max Alves stood over the ball from the spot and gave the away side its first of the night heading into halftime. Alves also earned himself his first MLS NEXT Pro goal of the season with his successful penalty attempt.
“It is hard to put a value on getting that goal back just before the half,” said Bushey. “I thought the boys simply got after it in the second half. We were dangerous. We were able to get in behind. We were able to sustain a little bit more possession. We made them defend a little bit more and that was a big key for us. We thought if we could make them defend, if we could sustain that possession, that the opportunities would come.”
Fighting to stay in the match, the Rapids came out in the second half with a vengeance. In the 60th minute, Toure was taken down just outside the box, allowing Sebastian Anderson to stand over a close range free kick. Anderson stepped up to the challenge and sent the equalizer curling past a diving Portland keeper who got a hand on the ball but couldn’t keep it out of the net.
As the second half ticked on, Yosuke Hanya found some room in the center of the pitch in the 68th minute and sent a perfectly placed through ball to the feet of Darren Yapi. Yapi dribbled the ball with ease and ripped the game-winning goal into the far post for the team’s third of the night. With that goal, Yapi extended his Rapids 2 goal scoring lead to four while Hanya added his second MLS NEXT Pro assist to his statline.
"It felt good obviously to put my team in front,” said Darren Yapi. “Again, we had amazing determination as a group and just to claw back from a two to zero deficit is so good. Just to score that third, everyone felt relief and that our work was paying off."
With the Rapids up by one, goalkeeper Isaac Nehme was being put to the test as the Timbers continued to fight for the equalizer. Nehme ended the night with four saves with two crucial saves coming in the last 10 minutes of the game.
The fourth and final goal of the night saw Toure make a targeted run to goal while Alves played a long through ball to his feet creating a one on one scenario with the Portland keeper. Toure found the back of the net with little challenge, adding his third Rapids 2 goal of the season to his record.
The Sunday night win marked the Rapids 2 first road victory of the season, giving the team a much needed three points heading into their next match versus STL CITY2. The team ended the night with six shots on target with Toure leading the attack with two.
“We have had to build from some really hard challenges so far this year and now I think we can build from some success,” said Bushey. “We know already that we are heading to St. Louis who is one of the best teams in the country. We know that the struggle will be real once again and we know that if we are not together that it will be a massive uphill battle. We will have learned that if we do play together that really anything is possible."
Rapids 2 will take on STL CITY2 on Saturday, July 2 at Ralph Korte Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. MT.
