The Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (13-2-5, 48 pts) dominated Whitecaps FC 2 (8-8-4, 30 pts) in a 6-2 victory at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Both Rémi Cabral and Darren Yapi recorded a brace in tonight's match while midfielder Oliver Larraz and Marlon Vargas both added one of their own. The newest Rapids 2 signing Jackson Walti added his first-ever MLS NEXT Pro assist in tonight's match on Cabral's second goal of the night. As it stands, both Larraz and Vargas are now tied for first place in the league's assist's chart with seven assists apiece.
Notable:
- Rapids 2 collected its 13th win of the season in tonight's 6-2 victory over Whitecaps FC 2. The team saw four different goal scorers on the night, which included a brace from both first team forward Darren Yapi and Rapids 2 forward Rémi Cabral.
- Rapids 2 put up 12 shots on goal, the most the team has put up in a single match this season.
- Rapids 2 forward Rémi Cabral recorded a brace in tonight's match versus Whitecaps FC 2, bringing his season total to nine goals. He now sits in second place on the team for the most goals with Yosuke Hanya occupying first place with 10 goals.
- First team forward Darren Yapi bagged a brace in tonight's match against Whitecaps FC 2 in his first appearance for the team this season.
- First team midfielder Oliver Larraz added his eighth goal and seventh assist of the season in tonight's game versus Whitecaps FC 2. He is now tied for a first place standing in the league for the lead in assists (7 assists).
- Midfielder Marlon Vargas added his fifth goal and his seventh assist of the season in tonight's game against Whitecaps FC 2. He is now tied for a first place standing in the league for the lead in assists (7 assists).
- Midfielder Yosuke Hanya added his sixth assist of the season in tonight's game versus Whitecaps FC 2.
- Midfielder Jackson Walti added his first-ever assist for Rapids 2 in tonight's match versus Whitecaps FC 2.
- Goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez featured in his first Rapids 2 match since the July 2 match versus St. Louis CITY2
Postgame Media Availability:
Select postgame quotes transcribed below.
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 HEAD COACH ERIK BUSHEY
On the match:
“Very pleased. After being shut out last week and really being humbled last week, to come out and put the ball in the back of the net, well it was a nice feeling to be fair. To jump on them like we have been jumped on the last two weeks was nice. We had a couple of new personalities in the group tonight and of course with Darren Yapi coming in, I was super pleased for him to get a couple goals and really for the group. Obviously, we are pegged back one with a goal in the first half and we could have done more to prevent that. It was a great take from their nine. It also kept us on our toes. We come out and yes, the start of the first half isn't what we wanted either, but we answered. I think we can take a lot of solace in that. For me, there was some beautiful soccer played tonight, interchange amongst players, interplay between players inside, beautiful. Ultimately, I leave really pleased."
On the team's six goals:
“We threatened their back line. We made a great effort to really try to get behind them. That created space inside for our playmakers to really get involved. I think anytime that we can get our players inside, the engine running, then we are going to do some good things. That really incorporates everybody. We had to stretch them side to side, and we have try and get behind and then you have guys seeking the ball. We did that. Then of course the first goal, now there is a reward for the soccer that was being played. It took off from there. It is amazing what a good start can do, especially when it comes through good soccer and not just good fortune. I thought that was the case. Guys were prepared to get at it, prepared to attack. After the lightening delay, sometimes you may not know. It is an interrupted warm up and I think they showed a great deal of maturity in how they approached the game."
On Jackson Walti's first assist for the team:
"Yeah, I would hope so. He is a good soccer player. He is coming from a good club, and we have high expectations for him and a big need inside. He got 15, 20 minutes last week. Not the welcoming he was probably looking for, the game against Kansas City. Fair enough, at least he got a start. Now he comes in again and five, three minutes in, we have conceded a goal, so he has had to answer that. He was a warrior inside. He was a hard worker, he was excellent on the ball, tenacious, he was a physical presence. Wonderful start. He adds to what is already a very good central midfield group. So, probably hard to ask for much more from him tonight."
On the team's play makers and goal scorers:
"You have to score. You have to get efforts on goal. My mom told me, 'If you don't shoot, you can't score', so I tend to abide by that. The fact that we have multiple guys doing it and multiple threats, it is key. We are not going to continue to win games if we are conceding two and three and four goals a game. Soccer doesn't work that way. We need our attacking soccer to come from good defending. We are not where we want to be. Six goals is brilliant. Like I said in the beginning, I leave a happy man and a happy coach. I know that we are going to have to be better moving forward. We are not going to expect six goals a game, the teams are too good. Tonight was our night in terms of putting the goals in the back of the net. We have a number of guys that should be feeling good in front of goal. Perhaps tonight was needed to further enhance that."
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 MIDFIELDER JACKSON WALTI
On the match:
“A good bounce back game from the group. It was my first game last week with them and we lost 4-0. It was a great turnaround from us. Right from the get-go going up 3-0 and then a bit of a rough stretch, but I think to mentally turn back on and get a couple goals to seal the deal was big for us and just good to come out with a win."
On tonight's six goals:
“It's just the quality of the players up top and how dynamic they are. Everybody from the outside backs to the midfielders, to the wingers and strikers, they are all moving super interchangeable, so it makes it super hard for other teams to defend us. Coming into the team now and playing with all of these guys who are moving around, for me, I am usually a player who kind of just holds the pocket and sits in the middle, it is wide-eyed, new experience, but it is very, very cool."
On his assist in tonight's game:
"Rémi (Cabral) is a great striker with great speed. He is always looking for runs in behind. He had told me before the game and at practices that he always makes those runs and to look for him. I just tossed the ball up there and he got the better of the guys. I kind of just closed my eyes and kicked it, so he did all the work there."
