Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (0-3-2, 2 pts.) drew with St. Louis CITY2 (4-0-2, 15 pts.) on the road 2-2 but ultimately fell in the shootout 5-3.
Rapids 2 got on the board first following a free kick from midfielder Landon Strohmeyer. The driven ball by Strohmeyer bounced off the goalkeeper’s hands and dropped into a dangerous area inside the box. Reacting quickest to the loose ball, Josh Copeland pounced on the opportunity and buried the rebound, marking his first goal of the season and extending the attacking pressure.
After striking first, Rapids 2 settled into their structure and carried the momentum forward. Ten minutes later, Jabari De Coteau launched a long ball down the sideline to Bryce Jamison, who drove a ball into the box. A sliding challenge from Josh Copeland set up Donavan Phillip to finish.
Colorado goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo remained untested until the 44th minute thanks to the Rapids 2 defense confidently cutting off passes in the defensive third and blocking shots from both inside and outside of the box.
The second half saw both teams trading chances throughout to start, putting up opportunities on either side of the pitch. St. Louis CITY2 capitalized on the chances first, cutting the deficit in half, in the 52nd minute when Palmer Ault headed in a cross from Riley Lynch.
St. Louis would find themselves down a man in the 71st minute and onward after a red card was delivered to Evan Carlock following his second yellow.
CITY2 continued to press until the final minute of added time when Lynch slotted in a goal from a ball deflected off the post. Now 2-2, the match would then go into a shootout to determine who would walk away with the extra point.
With a final penalty kick score of five for St. Louis and three for Colorado, Rapids 2 would walk away with a point.
Rapids 2 will return home for their next match against Minnesota United FC 2 on Sunday, April 19. Kickoff at University of Denver Soccer Stadium in Denver, Colorado, is set for 6:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Notables:
- Forward Josh Copeland scored his first goal of the season.
- This marks the second goal of his career.
- Forward Donavan Phillip scored his third goal of the season.
- Rapids Academy defender Jackson Pomeroy made his professional debut in the match after being subbed on in the 63rd minute.
- Midfielder Ali Fadal made his first appearance this season.
- Defender James Cameron made his first start of the season.
Lineups:
Colorado Rapids 2: Zackory Campagnolo, James Cameron (63’ Jackson Pomeroy), Kai Thomas, Jabari De Coteau, Grant Gilmore (85’ Charlie Harper), Ali Fadal [C] (76’ Noah Strellnauer), Landon Strohmeyer, Bryce Jamison, Donavan Phillip (85’ Quinn Bedwell), Josh Copeland (85’ Andre Erickson), Sydney Wathuta
Unused substitutes: Chris Aquino, Kendall Starks
St. Louis CITY2: Lucas McPartlin, Kyle Hiebert, Fallou Fall, Christopher Pearson [C] (77’ Zack Lillington), Jack Wagoner, Patrick McDonald, Eduard Lowen (46’ Cooper Forcellini), Thomas Ostrak (46’ Evan Carlock), Tyson Pearce (46’ Riley Lynch), Palmer Ault, Sidney Paris (66’ Andrew De Gannes)
Unused substitutes: Colin Welsh, Adeteye, Gbadehan, Lorenzo Cornelius
Officials:
Referee: Gerald Flores; Assistants: Art Arustamyan, Laura Chambers Waliski ; Fourth Official: Braeden Frey
