Ahead of Saturday’s inter-conference matchup against the Philadelphia Union, we sat down with longtime MLS announcer Steve Cangialosi. The play-by-play man has been calling matches for over two decades, starting his broadcasting career in MLS with the New York Red Bulls over 20 years ago. Cangialosi will be joined by Danny Higginbotham in the booth for Saturday's matchup that can be viewed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
What have your general thoughts been of the Rapids season so far?
Well, I've seen a team that, last year, started to do the right things in terms of making itself a more exciting team, and, of course, by bottom line, a more winning team. Because when I did the Rocky Mountain Cup last year, we were out in Colorado to call that match against Real Salt Lake, which was one of the proudest moments that the Rapids had last year, I thought. The game that was delayed by a lightning storm, and then ultimately they find a way to prevail. I remember speaking with Chris [Armas] in advance of that game, and one of the things he was most proud of was how the attack manifested itself and how they really created an atmosphere where they went into every game expecting to score two or three a game, because nothing breeds confidence like scoring goals. Last year, under Chris, I know they scored 61. So looking at it this year, I think their attack has cooled off a bit this season. By my computation, they're on pace to score 43, and knowing Chris, that probably is disturbing for him. But then, in the aftermath of what we saw in their last game some 10 nights ago against Seattle, I think there's reason to be optimistic. Truth is this, for me, has been a very hard team to figure out, right? It's one that's blown a three-nothing lead at New England, one that's erased a three-goal deficit at Seattle, one that lost by three goals at LAFC, then they win by three goals a week later, versus Vancouver with Djordje Mihailovic assisting on every goal. So there's a level of fascination that I have going into this match, which I think will be a very good test for them against a very good team on Saturday night.
Colorado's last match was a six-goal thriller that saw a three-goal comeback on the road. In your experience, what does a result like that do to galvanize a team that is pushing to secure a playoff spot?
Well, I think it affects Rafa Navarro in a positive way, because it's very rare that a striker plays in a three-three game, does not produce a goal, but turns out to be the most impactful player in the match. Because if you look at what happened in the two penalties that were on in a span of three minutes, obviously, he was at the forefront of that. You always want to be on the back end of one of those games, right? I'm sure it was painful for them when the same thing happened to them in New England a few weeks prior to that. But what I saw was a team that had a goalkeeper make a mistake that I know he wants back a million times, Zack Steffen giving up the goal that was scored from practically midfield, but he's better than that. I think that certain players, because of what they've done and how they believe in themselves, have the ability to brush that off and turn around and play a very good game. It kind of leads me into the game on Saturday night, because he's from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, these games mean a lot to him when he returns there. The Rapids were there in Chester less than a year ago, winning the Leagues Cup Third Place game in a match decided by a penalty shootout in which he was a very big part of that win. So, it's hard to say whether or not the second half of that game is a launching pad for Colorado, but I do think they left one of the hardest places to get a result in MLS with a very good feeling about themselves.
You were on the call the last time these two sides faced off in the Leagues Cup 2024 Third-Place match, what do you remember from that match and how these two clubs faced off?
I'm not going to read anything into that game as it relates to Saturday night, and that has more to do with the Union than it does the Rapids, because the Union don't have Jim Curtain anymore and they've abandoned the 4-4-2 diamond formation. So, anything tactically that you saw that day, throw that out the window. What I remember specifically about the build up to that game is what the Rapids went through in order to get there. Now, we're on the verge of Leagues Cup, right? So, they defeated four Liga MX teams last year on the road to that Leagues Cup final four. That is not insignificant. Last year, they were the 46th ranked team in a 47-team competition. I don't think they'll go in with that kind of under the radar reputation this time around. What I do remember about that matchup is this; I spoke a lot with Chris [Armas] in the lead up to that game, and I remember him telling me that ‘You're looking at a Union team that's been together for a long time, the nucleus, they know what they are. We are like a meal that hasn't come out of the oven yet. We're still figuring out what we are.’ To think that they got the result in a tough place to get one on that Sunday afternoon, that was impressive to me, and it was a real sign of growth. Obviously, there was a tangible reward to that game, because there was a Concacaf Champions Cup berth at stake. So, I don't take those results in games like that lightly. I know what it meant to them. It's so funny talking to you about this, because in a strange way, I called two Rapids games last year, and I think I called the two most significant results that they had. Winning the Rocky Mountain Cup and then winning that third place game in the Leagues Cup. Now I don't want to in any way diminish what happened against Club América, they were the favorites in that tournament, probably. At the end of the day, that's a nil-nil draw where Steffen had to play well, the other games were basically the Rapids making things happen. To me, those are the ones you kind of carry into the off season, where you say, ‘Hey, we were good. We did our job that day.’
What Rapids player or players do you see having an added impact in this match against Philadelphia?
Look at what Philly is dealing with going into this game. Two starting members of their back four are suspended. You've got Nathan Harriel out due to yellow card accumulation and you've got Frankie Westfield out because he picked up a red card in their most recent game. So, I don't want to say that this game is tailor made for Djordje Mihailovic, that's too strong, but you look at the matchup coming in, and you see a Philly team that's a little bit thin on the back end. One other thing, Jacob Glesnes, the center back, who I think would be primarily responsible for containing Mihailovic in this game, got the short end of the stick the other night in the All-Star game. For some reason, he played 64 minutes, and I don't think the Union are very happy about that, quite frankly, but it is what it is. He is somebody who is so important to organizing everything in the back where, if he's not at 100%, and I'm not assuming anything here, then it's a game where I think Djordje can really put his stamp.
How do you see tomorrow's match playing out?
First goal is going to dictate a lot here, my friend. The first goal is going to dictate a lot because I think we have two teams, both of which are comfortable playing without the ball. I don't think that either one of these sides will value possession in a big game and I don't think this match is any exception. So, I think the team that strikes first has a very, very big advantage. The goalkeepers are very good. It would not surprise me if we're looking at one-one or one-nil game. It's hard to say which way this would go. The Philadelphia Union right now are in some rarefied air in MLS, I think you have to stress that. This is a team separated by only a razor thin margin with the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and therefore the best teams in MLS. Look at the points per game right now. You've got Cincinnati, you've got Nashville, you've got Philadelphia, you've got Inter Miami. If you take a look, all of those teams are somewhere between 1.95 points per game and two, so the Union are in that conversation with the best teams in the league, that counts for a lot. I think if Colorado can get in there, stay staunch defensively, and find a way to get another road result, they'll feel good about themselves leaving Chester.
