The Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (5-0-1, 16 pts) secured its fifth win of the season in a 4-2 victory over North Texas SC (3-4-0, 9 pts) tonight at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. After going down by two at the beginning of the second half, the Rapids made a quick turnaround, putting up four goals in the second half to earn three points on the night. The goal scorers of the evening included Blake Malone, Yosuke Hanya, Oliver Larraz and Logan Batiste. Both Larraz and Batiste put up their first goals of the season while Malone added his second and Hanya added his fifth. The team remains in a first place standing in the MLS NEXT Pro power rankings and still holds an unbeaten record as they head into their seventh match of the season next weekend against LA Galaxy II.
Notable:
- Rapids 2 secured its fifth win of the season in tonight's match versus North Texas SC. The team continues to occupy a first place standing in the MLS NEXT Pro power rankings with 16 points.
- Defender Blake Malone scored his second goal of the season, opening the scoring for Rapids 2 in tonight's match versus North Texas SC.
- Midfielder Yosuke Hanya scored his fifth goal of the season in tonight's match versus North Texas SC. He now sits in a second place standing for goals scored in the league with five to his name. He has scored in every match he has appeared in this season.
- Midfielder Oliver Larraz scored his first goal of the season, giving the team its game winning goal in tonight's match versus North Texas SC.
- Defender Logan Batiste scored his first-ever professional goal during his first start of the season for Rapids 2 in tonight's game versus North Texas SC.
- Midfielder Oliver Larraz delivered his third set piece goal and second assist of the season in tonight's game versus North Texas SC.
- Midfielder Daouda Amadou put up his first assist of the season on Yosuke Hanya's goal in tonight's game against North Texas SC.
- Midfielder Yosuke Hanya added his second assist of the season on Oliver Larraz's game winning goal in tonight's game.
- Midfielder Connor Miller recorded his first assist of the season in tonight's game versus North Texas SC.
- Goalkeeper Adam Beaudry recorded his first-ever MLS NEXT Pro regular season minutes in tonight's match versus North Texas SC.
- Goalkeeper Adam Beaudry made one save on the night for Rapids 2.
- Defenders Steve Flores and Daniel Garcia both broke the 1,000-minute mark for Rapids 2 in tonight's match versus North Texas SC.
- Goalkeeper Adam Beaudry and defender Logan Batiste both appeared in the starting XI for the first time this season in tonight's match versus North Texas SC.
Postgame Media Availability:
Select postgame quotes transcribed below.
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 HEAD COACH ERIK BUSHEY
On the match:
“I am really pleased. It was a different kind of adversity that we faced today. We have been privileged, I suppose, to have several challenges in our first five games or so. This one was a bit different. The soccer was I think really positive from us, but then we concede a goal and that is okay, no problem. We feel the soccer is good again going into halftime. We come back out, the start is positive and then we concede again, so a new challenge. The soccer we are playing is better, but now the score doesn't speak the same message. The guys had to really remain diligent and confident and keep playing. There is no doubt the red card changed the game, but for me, we were already on the front foot, and we were doing well. To come back from two goals, up a man, down a man, any man, I think the players deserve a lot of credit for that, just a real stick-to-itiveness today and a lot of quality behind their hard work. It was great to see the goals go in and it was great to get the three points."
On the difference between the first and second half:
“Because the soccer was good, sometimes momentum is a really powerful thing. When we get into a position where we know we have created chances and they are not going in, when I say stick-to-itiveness, that's what I mean. It is easy to go the other way and say yes, we are creating but we are not finishing. It can be demoralizing, but that never came across and at two-nil down it never came across. When we got one, I think immediately the feeling was we can get two. I think momentum had a lot to do with it because we created some wonderful chances, Rémi (Cabral) getting behind the times that he did, dangerous chances in the box. The guys fed off that and they were able to sustain that for the better part of 90 minutes. Sometimes you can say the technique was wrong or we didn't have enough guys in the box or spacing was incorrect, sometimes it is, but we just need one to go, and we got the one to go and we got three more to follow."
On goalkeeper Adam Beaudry's first MLS NEXT Pro appearance:
"As we state many times, we have high expectations and rightly so, from our goalkeeping program. Whomever steps in there, the expectations are high. My hope was that Adam's recent exposure to the national team and the quality that he has shown there and with the Academy at GA Cup (Generation adidas Cup), he was wonderful in that competition as well. My hope was that those things would carry over into this game. His outing with us last season when he got called on in the Wolves (Wolverhampton) game, I think was a real eye opener and a great experience for him. So, that experience helps him now with the national team and now in turn, we are the ones that are benefiting by the international experience that he has gained. He was composed. He is a wonderful soccer player beyond just being a goalkeeper. He is clean with his feet. He can make good decisions. For him as well, first start now, two-nil down knowing that, at least from our standpoint, that we are not deserved of being in that place. You could have seen him erupt or hang the head down, but no, he was even keeled, doing his job. My pride continues. It goes throughout the team, but when you see a young player step in like that and he is going to have to continue to do that, again it bodes well for the group and surely for Adam as well."
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 DEFENDER LOGAN BATISTE
On the match:
“We started off the first 10 minutes very strong. We were playing well and unfortunately a penalty got called against us and it didn't go our way. After that, we continued to fight, and we found our spacing and we created many more opportunities after that. It was good from the team, and we just have to keep working and being more solid in that aspect and just keep fighting."
On the team's mental and technical performance:
“Obviously, just communication and working together. We have to improve on keeping our line and just staying focused in times of struggle like we had tonight. The positives of who we are as a team is just after we lose a ball, there is always a quick reaction to get it back. I feel like we have good leaders on the team. There is a saying I like from a movie, and it says, "Attitude reflects leadership" and I feel like we really do. We have good leaders in our captain, in our coaches. It shows by how we have been playing."
On his first-ever professional goal:
"I was a bit down after conceding those two goals because I had an impact on those two plays. I was just trying to get back into the game. I saw Connor (Miller) get the ball and I knew as soon as he saw me making that run that he would play me. So, I just got there and honestly, I couldn't tell you what happened. It kind of all just went black and I got the ball down on my chest and next thing I knew I was on the floor and the ball was in the back of the net. It was a good feeling for me to get my first professional goal and I am looking forward to the opportunity to get many more."
