The Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 defeated Earthquakes II in a 1-0 victory at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park to secure their spot in the Western Conference Final. First team forward Darren Yapi scored the team's lone goal of the night in the 84th minute of the match off an assist from Yosuke Hanya. In addition, goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez recorded a clean sheet in tonight's match against San Jose. Rapids 2 will now move on to the Western Conference Final where they will take on Austin FC II at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park for the conference title and a chance to play in the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
Notable:
- Rapids 2 defeated Earthquakes II in a 1-0 victory to secure their spot in the Western Conference Final. The team will now face Austin FC II at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park for a chance to take home a Western Conference title en route to a spot in the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Cup.
- Forward Darren Yapi scored his first-ever playoff goal in tonight's Conference Semifinals match against Earthquakes II.
- Midfielder Yosuke Hanya recorded an assist in tonight's Conference Semifinals match against Earthquakes II.
- Goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez recorded a clean sheet in tonight's Conference Semifinals match versus Earthquakes II.
Postgame Media Availability:
Select postgame quotes transcribed below.
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 HEAD COACH ERIK BUSHEY
On the match:
“Yeah, it’s another first for our club, a playoff win, and so we are very excited by that. Excited, relieved, motivated, many emotions, a very tough game. I know I said this before, I have a great deal of respect for San Jose. I have a great deal of respect for Dan DeGeer as their coach. It was always going to be a tough game and there wasn’t going to be any one player or one call that was going to make it any different. I thought it took us a while to adjust, but coming out in the second half, the chances that we created, I think we believed the goal would come. I do believe the team was prepared to win 1-0 just as much as they were prepared to win 3-0 at that point or any other scoreline. I think that patience was revealed in the soccer that we played, the stick-to-itiveness, if you will, in terms of our efforts to get to goal and try to create chances and very diligent in how we defended and defended in transition. Lost in that would be the work of those in behind, who on any one clearance are going to be put under a high level of pressure and yet each time, we had players that dealt with that pressure and that danger. Where it would’ve been nice to have another goal and a little cushion, that’s not the way our season goes. It is high stress, high tension, and these are close games. Yap (Darren Yapi) scores and I could not be more happy. Not only was it a big goal, a game-winning goal, it was a strike with absolute conviction and that of a pro in every way and I’m glad he scored it. So, it was a wonderful win."
On his pride in the team:
“Yeah, very proud. You know I think it’s easy for the onlookers perhaps, anybody, to say you’re up a man for 87 minutes, whatever it was, and say it should be a forgone conclusion, the winner. We talk a lot about different game situations, up goals, down goals, up men, down men and the guys were still going to be in a fight. I would surmise that at halftime, the opponent is saying, 'the pressure is on them, who would expect us to win a game after being down for 87 minutes?'. We try and remove that pressure by saying, 'just stick to it, stick to who we are, stick to the principles, try to get some solutions as to how we could hurt them and get behind them', and etcetera, etcetera. I think the mentality to say, 'we got it' is there, and a couple of people have said since the game ended, we have won games in so many different ways this year, this is just another one. We don’t expect them to be easy and it wasn’t, so to the question, very proud, very proud."
On facing Austin FC II in the Western Conference Final:
"Yeah, it would’ve been with Tacoma as well, but I’m not surprised that it’s Austin. Austin is an outstanding team, very good individually, very well organized, fluid in their movements. They will feel hard done by in I think a couple of our three games. Nobody is going to come in here, or anywhere at this point in the season, with a shortage of motivation. So, congratulations to them for beating what is a very good and very difficult Tacoma team. And yeah, there is some celebration, it’s probably about over, but I think the guys deserve it. This is the first, if I didn’t start with that I meant to, it's another first for our club, the playoff win, and so it shouldn’t be dismissed to quickly to say, 'back to work' because I’m proud of the guys for securing what is a very difficult win, and again a first for our club. But yes, it will be short lived and every ounce of our energy will go into becoming better players, a better team, and then preparing for Austin."
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 FORWARD DARREN YAPI
On the match:
"I just loved the team’s patience today. Obviously, San Jose went down in the third minute and they sat back. They did really well defensively but the fact that we didn’t lose our patience and we kept going was brilliant from us today and we just played our game the whole time and we waited for our goal, and it came."
On the team's chemistry:
"These guys, this group, we always have each other’s back. You know, when a guy is down like me and they see that, they try to help as best they can to get my confidence back up and I’d do the same for the guy right next to me, so that’s something this group is really good at. The togetherness is just so, so good in that locker room.”
On facing Austin FC II in the Western Conference Final:
"They’re a very, very tough team. I remember playing them away at Austin and that was a very, very tough game. Every game is going to be tough, so we have to just focus on recovery, training again and get prepared for another battle. Every game is going to be a battle, so we just have to be ready.”
