Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (3-14-8, 18 pts.) pushed Ventura County FC (12-6-6, 45 pts.) to the very end on Friday night but ultimately fell 3-2.
Taking their time to build up their tempo, Rapids 2 fended off early attacks from the visitors. Colorado searched for their first opportunity and found it in the fourth minute on a breakaway from Sydney Wathuta. Unable to best the keeper, Rapids 2 used the shift in momentum to generate more offensive plays throughout the first half.
Wathuta's time would come in the 38th minute when Chris Aquino flicked on a flying ball towards Wathuta's feet. Striding down the field, Wathuta maneuvered through traffic and launched a shot into the lower right corner of the net. However, Colorado's lead did not last long with Ventura County FC's Julian Placias locking down a penalty kick just four minutes later to bring the half to a close even at 1-1.
As the second half got underway, Ventura County FC would extend their lead, giving Rapids 2 an uphill battle to climb. As Ventura hunkered down on defense, Colorado continued to work the ball through the field in search of an equalizer. Despite their efforts, Ventura County FC added another goal in the 82nd minute but Rapids 2 were quick with the response. Only a minute later, Wathuta would take the ball down the sideline and into the box, dropping it back to the center just in time. Josh Copeland would seize the moment to tap in a left-footed shot and get Colorado back in the game.
Fighting until the final whistle and giving it their all on one last set piece, Rapids 2 were unable to find the late goal to push the match to a shootout and fell 3-2 at home.
Rapids 2 will hit the road to face Minnesota United FC 2 for the third and final time this season next week on September 5. Kickoff at National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota is set for 6:00 p.m. MT, with coverage available on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Notables
- Forward Sydney Wathuta notched his fourth goal of the season and the 10th of his Rapids 2 and MLS NEXT Pro career.
- Wathuta also recorded his third assist of the season and sixth for Rapids 2.
- Forward Josh Copeland scored his fifth goal of the season and now has two goals in two consecutive matches.
- Forward Chris Aquino made his second assist of the season.
- Aquino now has three goal contributions in the last three matches.
- Rapids Academy’s Jordan Camacho and Kellen Lowery made their Rapids 2 and MLS NEXT Pro debuts.
Lineups:
Colorado Rapids 2: Zack Campagnolo, Kamal Sawadogo (67' Hamdoin Altayeb), Charlie Harper, Grant Gilmore, Edgar Heredia (79' Kellen Lowery), Sebastian Siegler, Luis García (87' Kai Thomas), Josh Copeland, Chris Aquino (67' Jordan Camacho), Ali Fadal [C] (46' Niccolo Del Carmen), Sydney Wathuta
Unused substitutes: Dashiel Williams, Jackson Pomeroy
Ventura County FC: Brady Scott, Riley Dalgado, Palmer Bank, Enrique Martinez, Mateo McLean, Vicente Garcia (75' Gabriel Arnold), Luis Müller (84' Darnau Vilamitjana), Brett Phan, Julian Placias, Jeremi Dijeze (75' Jose Luis Magaña Jr.), Eric Preston
Unused substitutes: Sebastian Hernandez, Nathan Enriquez
Officials:
Referee: Kaitlyn Trowbridge; Assistants: William Aten, Charles Rupert; Fourth Official: Lucasz Josefecki
