Minnesota United squandered a chance to move into second place in the Western Conference with a 2-1 loss to Colorado at Allianz Field on Sunday.
In a restart of MLS regular-season play, the ninth-place Rapids came into St. Paul and denied MNUFC (12-5-8, 44 points) from moving ahead of Vancouver.
Colorado attacker Darren Yapi scored on a breakaway in the 60th minute. Yapi created the opportunity by outracing Carlos Harvey down the left flank.
Yapi made it 2-0 with another counter attacking goal in the 70th minute. The second time he struck on the right side.
Loons midfielder Wil Trapp argued with official Greg Dopka after the goal. It appeared Trapp was upset over how Dopka got Trapp’s way off the ball, which jumpstarted the Rapids’ break.
Tani Oluwaseyi cut the deficit in half with a calm finish at the top of the six-yard box in the 73rd minute. It was the Canadian’s 10th goal in MLS this season.
Colorado employed the tactic that is increasingly tripping up MNUFC, with Atletico San Luis successfully using it in the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.
The Rapids deviated from their typical two-center back set-up and went with a trio of center backs.
In the first half, the Loons had nearly 60 percent of the ball and 10 shots, but only four attempts on target and few truly dangerous chances for goalkeeper Zach Stefan.
Colorado missed attacking midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, who was transferred to Toronto for a Rapids-record $9 million fee. Without their top chance creator, the Rapids had a void in the middle and striker Rafael Navarro often dropped in to try and fill.
In the second half, the Rapids bypassed traditional build-up with their best player gone, instead having success on counterattacks.
After rotating some key players out against San Luis, head coach Eric Ramsay reinserted starters such as Tani Oluwaseyi, Wil Trapp, Michael Boxall, Bongi Hlongwane and Carlos Harvey.
Briefly
MNUFC held a special ceremony for a Make-A-Wish kid on Sunday. Tommy Schweinitz, a 17-year-old from Minneapolis lost right leg to cancer in the last year, but was welcomed into the club with a signing ceremony and training session in Blaine on Friday. Before Sunday’s match, Schweinitz used his crutches and left leg to score a goal. “Truly inspirational,” Eric Ramsay said of Schweinitz on Friday.
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