Colorado Rapids 2 Earn Three Points in First Road Win of the Season

June 27, 2022 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Colorado Rapids 2 News Release

Colorado Rapids 2 took home their first road win of the season in a 4-2 victory over Timbers2 at Hillsboro Stadium on Sunday night. First team loans Max Alves, Sebastian Anderson, Darren Yapi and Yaya Toure were the goal scorers for the evening, earning Colorado three points in its match against Portland.

“There were some mature performances out there and a great deal of hard work,” said Rapids 2 head coach Erik Bushey. “It is going to be hard for people to understand just how much the heat, the sun combined with the turf, and the work that is necessary. They were very difficult conditions for us to play in. The guys came in at halftime and actually looked fresh. They looked like they could go out and give more. They were ready to go. So, the fitness level that we have talked more about before was tested. There was a real spirit of togetherness and fight. It is amazing what a little bit of quality can do to add to that spirit and fight. That is what we saw tonight.”

The Sunday night match was one for the books as the Rapids put up a whopping four goals to overtake a two to zero deficit. The first 30 minutes of play were marked by a defense heavy performance from Colorado who found themselves in many dangerous positions in the first half. However, it was in the 36th minute where the game took a turn as a Portland attacker was taken down in the box, earning the home team an opportunity from the penalty spot, which they converted for the first goal of the night. Minutes later, a fumbled ball in the box allowed Timbers2 to gain a two to zero lead on the Rapids in the 41st minute.

With the team down by two, Sebastian Anderson played a clean ball in from behind, finding the feet of Yaya Toure who was taken down in the box for a Rapids penalty. First team loan Max Alves stood over the ball from the spot and gave the away side its first of the night heading into halftime. Alves also earned himself his first MLS NEXT Pro goal of the season with his successful penalty attempt.

“It is hard to put a value on getting that goal back just before the half,” said Bushey. “I thought the boys simply got after it in the second half. We were dangerous. We were able to get in behind. We were able to sustain a little bit more possession. We made them defend a little bit more and that was a big key for us. We thought if we could make them defend, if we could sustain that possession, that the…