Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (0-4-3, 3 pts.) fell to Houston Dynamo 2 (7-0-1, 23 pts.) at home on Sunday night.
Put to the test in the opening minutes of the match, Rapids 2 were forced to neutralize threats in their defensive third. Goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo came up big with five saves in the first 20 minutes to keep the score level at 0-0. In front of him, the back line put their bodies on the line, bravely blocking Houston’s attempts and preserving the clean slate.
Rapids 2, finding their rhythm offensively, began to return fire and put the visiting team under pressure. A run of shots on goal signaled a shift in momentum as they pushed forward with greater confidence. However, Houston would slip through the cracks in the 26th minute to find the go-ahead goal.
Fate was not in their favor as a Charlie Harper red card put the home team at a man down disadvantage for the rest of the match. Houston would go up 2-0 four minutes into stoppage time in the first half.
Fresh from the halftime break, Rapids 2 showed a reignited spirit and a tenacity to keep contending despite being a man down. Several offensive breakthroughs would demonstrate their perseverance and keep Houston Dynamo 2 on the backfoot. Though Houston would net another goal in the 52nd minute, Rapids 2 would not let the score stop them.
Refusing to fold, Colorado kept their head in the game and moved with the same fierceness as before. Determined to put one on the board, Mamadou Billo Diop fed a ball through to Alex Harris, who caught the ball on his right foot and fired one away. This marked Harris’ first goal of the season for Rapids 2 and the sixth of his MLS NEXT Pro career. With the second assist of his career, Diop has now recorded two goal contributions in his last two games.
Rapids 2 refused to back down and continued to push forward on the attack, generating several quality looks, but were unable to convert. Colorado would eventually fall 3-1 to Houston.
Rapids 2 will be back at home for their next match against Sporting KC II on Sunday, May 10. Kickoff at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado is set for 6:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Notables:
- Rapids forward Alex Harris scored his first goal for Rapids 2 this season.
- This marks his sixth goal for Rapids 2 in his career.
- Rapids forward Mamadou Billo Diop recorded his first assist of the season, and second goal contribution in two games.
- This marks the third assist of his career.
Lineups:
Colorado Rapids 2: Zackory Campagnolo, James Cameron, Charlie Harper, Kai Thomas (90’+3’ Landon Strohmeyer), Noah Strellnauer (46’ Bryce Jamison), Ali Fadal [C], Nathan Tchoumba (46’ Jabari De Coteau), Kimani Stewart-Baynes (82’ Josh Copeland), Mamadou Billo Diop (82’ Chris Aquino), Sydney Wathuta, Alex Harris
Unused substitutes: Kendall Starks, Grant Gilmore, Jaden Chan Tack, Rogelio Garcia
Houston Dynamo 2: Pedro Henrique De Oliveira Cruz [C], Vinicius Silva, Noah Betancourt, Reese Miller (46’ Eiji Hata), Isaac Mwakatuya, Gilberto Rivera, Jahmani Bell (63’ Diego Gonzalez), Matthew Arana (71’ Gustavo Dohmann), Austin Brummett (62’ Arthur Sousa), Mattheo Dimareli, Samir Mohammad (62’ D’Alessandro Herrera)
Unused substitutes: Alan Martins, Mamadi Jiana, Micah Harris, Roman Kerimov
Officials:
Referee: Felix Granados; Assistants: Tyler Spiczka, Joseph Knoff; Fourth Official: Max Alatorre
