“There’s lots of players who could come over and be very successful here. Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, players like that. I know Pogba loves coming to the States – his brother is here. So I’m sure he’d be a great signing for anyone”. Those are the words of former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, who […]
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Major League Soccer is no stranger to playing through FIFA international windows.
Every season, the issue of missing players comes up during a shortened slate of games, and Week 4 is no different than that.
This is just the first of many international windows MLS is going to have to play through with the regular season trimmed by a month to accommodate the new playoff format, which was established with the October and November international breaks in mind.
In 2019, MLS sides have to deal with regular international absences, participation of its players in May’s U20 World Cup in Poland and stars away for the knockout round of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup.
This is nothing new for MLS teams, and given how much depth each team boasts at the start of each season, it should be something all of the league’s clubs should be used to dealing with by now.
Of course, some international windows are going to hit teams harder than others, but most can prepare for games during the international break by planning weeks in advance and being in direct communication with federations.
Albert Rusnak, Wil Trapp, Gyasi Zardes, Carlos Gruezo, Andre Blake and Kemar Lawrence are among the stars absent from their club’s Week 4 games, but we aren’t devoid of any star power in MLS this weekend, as Carlos Vela is still with LAFC and Bradley Wright-Phillips will once again lead the line for the New York Red Bulls.
Since there are only five games in Week 4, you have a good opportunity to take a look at some teams you may not have paid attention to over the first three weeks.
Colorado Rapids at FC Dallas (Saturday, 5:45 p.m. ET, UniMas)
Orlando City at New York Red Bulls (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Columbus Crew at Philadelphia Union (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Real Salt Lake at Los Angeles FC (Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
FC Cincinnati at New England Revolution (Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Brenden Aaronson, M, Philadelphia Union
The latest Homegrown Player to take the field for the Philadelphia Union impressed in his debut at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 3.
Brenden Aaronson, who received plenty of praise in preseason from the Union’s staff, was the club’s brightest attacker in Week 3 against Atlanta United, and he was rewarded for his efforts with a goal.
Now with Marco Fabian suspended another game from his Week 2 red card, Aaronson has an opportunity to shine in front of the home crowd at Talen Energy Stadium.
The 18-year-old isn’t just a must-watch player for Philadelphia fans, as he’ll make a push to be one of the stars of the next U20 World Cup cycle. Even if he marvels in his next few games, Aaronson is seen as a long shot to make the 2019 U20 World Cup because most of that squad is already set.
The pressure will be on Aaronson to thrive in the final third, as the Union are without Fabian, Cory Burke and Sergio Santos, which leaves Aaronson, Fafa Picault and David Accam as the likely starting attacking combination in Jim Curtin’s lineup.
Kellyn Acosta, Colorado Rapids vs. Paxton Pomykal, FC Dallas
The top individual storyline from Week 4 comes from Colorado’s visit to FC Dallas, as Kellyn Acosta makes his first appearance at Toyota Stadium since he was traded to the Rapids.
Acosta is expected to once again spearhead the Colorado midfield, and he’ll do so against a depleted FC Dallas midfield.
With Carlos Gruezo and Bryan Acosta away on international duty, Paxton Pomykal should have plenty of run-ins with the former FC Dallas player on Saturday.
Acosta and Pomykal might not go directly at each other on every play, but both will be tasked with creating scoring chances through the middle of the park, and whichever player does it best could leave the field with three points.
Carlos Vela, F, LAFC
If you don’t have Carlos Vela in your fantasy lineup, go add him now.
The LAFC forward, who has three goals and two assists in three games, is going up against a Real Salt Lake defense that conceded five times on its travels in Week 3 against D.C. United.
Since RSL will be lacking some bite in its attack without Corey Baird, Albert Rusnak and Sam Johnson, it’ll likely sit back and defend in an attempt to get out of Banc of California as unscathed as possible.
However, the Claret and Cobalt could be in for a rough night with LAFC’s attack looking strong and Bob Bradley’s side in search of revenge from its playoff exit at the hands of Mike Petke’s side.
The post MLS Week 4 Preview: Navigating through the international break appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – At just 24-years-old, Colorado Rapids Homegrown Dillon Serna has all the marks of a grizzled veteran. He stands as the longest tenured player currently on the Rapids roster. His 91 appearances in Burgundy also mark the most for any current Rapids player.
But through seven seasons and three different head coaches, Serna has been unable to carve a steady role for himself in the starting XI, taking on a variety of roles including exciting young talent, midfielder of the future, dynamic super sub and depth spot starter.
Last season, he took on more defensive responsibilities than years past as one of a number of players then first-year Rapids head coach tried to insert at right back. Hungry for minutes, Serna was happy to oblige.
“I’ve played a few different positions,” Serna reflected in an interview with Pro Soccer USA. “That’s a strength of mine, but at the end of the day I want to be on the field. No matter what position I’m playing in, I’m happy to help the team.”
The experiments at right back didn’t go well for Colorado, who opted to go for a proven MLS right back by adding Keegan Rosenberry in the offseason. But as the Rapids approached the start of a new campaign in 2019, the opposite end of the pitch still had questions. Homegrown defender Sam Vines went down early with a preseason quad injury. Deklan Wynne, who was also expected to compete at left back, was slotted to the middle as Colorado dealt with numerous centerback injuries. With plans A, B and C out the window, Hudson again looked to Serna for help, asking him to fill in at left back.
In this new role, Serna has managed an excellent start to the 2019 season. Defensively, he’s averaged 4.66 recoveries and three clearances per match in each of his three appearances for Colorado while also pitching in three tackles, two interceptions and a blocked shot across those games. It’s not bad defensive work for a player who’d been previously known for highlight reel goals and who primarily plies his trade in the midfield.
“I’m surprised,” Hudson said of Serna’s transition. “I mean it respectfully, but I’m shocked as to how well he’s taken to it. He’s really grasped the opportunity and he’s getting the rewards for it.”
No one is hungrier for the Rapids to achieve success than Serna. A native of nearby Brighton, Colo., he grew up watching and going to Rapids games. But despite his lengthy tenure with the club, he’s never appeared in a playoff game. The closest he came to seeing postseason minutes came in 2016, but when that team made the playoffs, Serna was sidelined with a mid-summer knee injury which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He reflects on those experiences as setting the tone to be the matured player he is now.
“I think I’ve grown a lot,” Serna said. “The injury was a big part of that, being out for 10 months. That was our most successful year and I wasn’t a part of that run towards the end of the season, so that was hard for me.”
This season feels different, however. Serna wants to do everything he can to push the Rapids back to the postseason.
“Success is definitely huge for me,” he said. “This year we’ve got a great group of guys and a lot of winners on this team. We got some big-time players so this year is going to be massive for us to make a serious run and be in the playoffs.”
For Anthony Hudson, it’s not just the big names like Kei Kamara, Benny Feilhaber and Tim Howard who are important to the Rapids’ success. He believes that Homegrowns like Serna, Kortne Ford and Cole Bassett are a critical part to the club’s culture and future success.
“What’s important for me and the club is that we build a core of players from the area, from Colorado and know what it means to represent Colorado and understand the fans,” Hudson explained. “The dream for me is to build a core of players that know what it means to represent the club and the shirt. I want these guys to be more vocal, in the locker room and on the pitch, because the reality is it’s their club.”
Serna’s maturation has extended off the field as well. In the offseason, he made the decision to tie the knot with his longtime fiancée Paige. In his downtime, he doesn’t spend hours playing FIFA like other 24-year-olds, instead opting for quiet time in the outdoors.
When it’s time to work, it’s “back to business” as he says in his own words. In an effort to improve at left back, he’s studied film, trying to learn opposing attacker’s tendencies. He hopes that this continued focus and steady improvement will not just lead the Rapids to greener pastures, but himself as well. Like other U.S. Men’s National Team players before him, such as DaMarcus Beasley and more recently, Tyler Adams, he hopes the transition from midfielder to wingback can open more doors for international call-ups.
“I’ve always wanted to get back with the National Team,” said Serna “I was called up to the 2015 January camp and haven’t been back since, so I think that’s a goal. I think the left back position is definitely one where if I continue to do well, that’s a real possibility for me to get called back into a January camp.”
Hudson thinks the best is yet to come from the young and newly minted left back.
“I still think he’s got loads of improvement and he’s got bigger performances in him. Dillon is an exciting player and suits how we want to play. He shows real energy going forward, he’s got a good left foot, he’s the type of player on the pitch that you want. If he keeps progressing and learning the role, he’s got bigger performances in him.”
The post Dillon Serna’s rise at left back could open doors to Rapids success and USMNT future appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Major League Soccer released details Thursday about the 2019 Generation adidas Cup, which will feature MLS academy and international youth teams.
The GA Cup will take place at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas, home of FC Dallas, from April 13-20. This year marks the 12th year of the annual under-17 youth tournament.
The tournament will include 32 teams — the largest field in Generation adidas Cup history — 21 of those coming from MLS academies. Participants in the U-17 Championship division include academies from FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Montreal Impact, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, Toronto FC, and the Seattle Sounders.
MLS will also continue growing its relationship with Mexico’s Liga MX by debuting a U-15 tournament that pits the two leagues against each other. LAFC, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC will send their U-15 sides to play against four Liga MX sides, with each team playing the opposing league once. The final will take the best Liga MX side against the best MLS side.
“The Generation adidas Cup is a world-class competition that offers MLS Academy teams the opportunity to compete against some of the most talented youth players across the globe. With the addition of more international clubs, we are excited to see the most competitive iteration of the tournament yet,” MLS executive vice president of competition and player relations Todd Durbin said in a statement. “This year’s introduction of the new U-15 tournament against Liga MX clubs enhances a growing partnership that bolsters the sport across North America on and off the pitch.”
The tournament will also be a hub for coaches, who will converge from across the world to participate in an education symposium and lectures.
“The industry-leading partnership between adidas and Major League Soccer continues to drive the evolution of player development in North America through the growth and success of programs like the Generation adidas Cup,” Aaron Maines, director of soccer sports marketing for adidas, said in a statement. “With MLS academy teams participating, along with renowned international clubs, the Generation adidas Cup provides a world class platform for North America’s best players to measure themselves.”
All 21 MLS U-17 academies competed in two regional qualifying events from October 2018 to February 2019. The top eight MLS clubs advanced and will play in the Championship Division of the GA Cup, where they will face eight international opponents. The remaining 13 MLS clubs will play in the Premier Division against a field of seven international sides.
Similarly, MLS U-15 teams played qualification rounds and the top four teams advanced to the U-15 division competition against Liga MX teams.
FC Dallas
LA Galaxy
Montreal Impact
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
Real Salt Lake
Seattle Sounders FC
Toronto FC
U-17 Premier Division – MLS Participants
Atlanta United
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
Columbus Crew SC
D.C. United
Houston Dynamo
Sporting Kansas City
New England Revolution
Orlando City SC
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
San Jose Earthquakes
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
U-15 Division – MLS Participants
Los Angeles Football Club
New York Red Bulls
Philadelphia Union
Toronto FC
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New York City were in desperate need to find replacements for David Villa, after the Spaniard left the club and moved to Japan. There was never going to be an easy way to replace him, but after Alexandru Mitrita joined from Universitatea Craiova from Romania, now another signing has arrived, this time from Croatia. Brazilian […]
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It has taken three weeks, but we finally have some stability atop the Pro Soccer USA MLS Power Rankings.
Seattle Sounders FC, LAFC, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls all remained in unchanged positions among the top four teams after positive results in Week 3. The Montreal Impact and expansion side FC Cincinnati made the biggest leaps, each moving up five spots following emphatic wins.
The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editor and writers.
(1) Seattle Sounders FC (3-0-0, 9 points): The Sounders are the only team in MLS to have maximum points from their first three games, matching their best start since their inaugural MLS season after a 4-2 win over the Chicago Fire. (2) Los Angeles Football Club (2-0-1, 7 points): The Black-and-Gold dropped their first points of the season, but rallied twice from a pair of deficits to draw NYCFC 2-2 at Yankee Stadium. Carlos Vela struck for a brace. (3) D.C. United (2-0-1, 7 points): Wayne Rooney scored his first MLS hat trick and added an assist for good measure as D.C. United destroyed a Real Salt Lake team that ended the match with nine men. (4) New York Red Bulls (1-0-1, 4 points): The Red Bulls needed a second-half surge to knock off San Jose Saturday. Alex Muyl scored the first brace of his career and Danny Royer continued his impactful start to 2019, setting up both Muyl goals and scoring one of his own. (6) Columbus Crew SC (2-0-1, 7 points): Gaston Sauro scored — again! — as the Crew defeated FC Dallas 1-0 at MAPFRE to make it seven points out of nine for Caleb Porter. (5) Sporting Kansas City (1-1-1, 4 points): Johnny Russell came off the bench to provide the heroics, leveling late on a scorching free kick as Sporting earned a 1-1 draw at Colorado Sunday night. (10) Houston Dynamo (2-0-1, 7 points): Memo Rodriguez struck for a brace, including the 73rd-minute winner off a pass from Alberth Elis, who added a first-half penalty kick, in a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. (11) Atlanta United (0-1-2, 2 points): Ezequiel Barco headed in the late equalizer off another Julian Gressel assist as the Five Stripes rallied to tie the Philadelphia Union, 1-1, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday. (8) FC Dallas (1-1-1, 4 points): FC Dallas suffered their first loss of the Luchi Gonzalez-era, dropping a 1-0 decision to Columbus Crew SC, only forcing Zack Steffen into two saves. (12) Toronto FC (2-0-0, 6 points): Ayo Akinola had a goal and an assist and Jozy Altidore made his triumphant return with the game-winner off the bench in the 80th minute in a 3-2 win over the New England Revolution. (16) Montreal Impact (2-1-0, 6 points): Orji Okwonkwo and Ignacio Piatti scored one minute apart in the first half and Piatti added a second goal late in a convincing 3-1 win over Orlando City SC. (14) LA Galaxy (2-1-0, 6 points): Jonathan dos Santos and Chris Pontius scored four minutes apart late in the first half and Sebsastian Lletget added an 81st minute goal as the Galaxy defeated Minnesota United, 3-2, doing so without the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. (7) Minnesota United (2-1-0, 6 points): The Loons came back down to earth a bit after back-to-back wins to open the season. Jan Gregus and Angelo Rodriguez scored in the road defeat. (13) New York City FC (0-0-3, 3 points): Alexandru Mitrita scored his first MLS goal and Alex Ring netted his second of the season, but the Cityzens conceded a pair of equalizers and settled for a 2-2 draw against LAFC Sunday at Yankee Stadium. (20) FC Cincinnati (1-1-1 4 points): What a party at Nippert Stadium as 30,000-plus enjoyed a thorough 3-0 win over the Portland Timbers in FC Cincinnati’s first home match. Kendall Waston, Mathieu Deplagne and Allan Cruz scored for FCC. (9) Real Salt Lake (1-1-1, 4 points): It was a night to forget for RSL, which saw Jefferson Savarino and Marcelo Silva sent off en route to a 5-0 at D.C. United Saturday night. (17) Colorado Rapids (0-1-2, 2 points): Diego Rubio scored the game’s first goal in the 54th minute, but after substitute Axel Sjoberg was sent off for his second bookable offense, Russell scored two minutes from full time to level for Sporting. (15) Portland Timbers (0-2-1, 1 point): The Timbers are leaking goals at an alarming rate, conceding three more on Sunday for a total of 10 on the season following a 3-0 loss at FC Cincinnati Sunday. (22) Philadelphia Union (0-2-1, 1 point): The Union earned their first point of the season thanks to a goal by Brenden Aaronson, the 18-year-old Homegrown who was stellar on his debut. (18) Chicago Fire (0-2-1, 1 point): The Fire ended strong, with Raheem Edwards and Fabian Herbers scoring second-half goals, but they couldn’t climb out of a three-goal hole in a 4-2 loss to the Sounders. (19) Orlando City SC (0-1-2, 2 points): The Lions were punished for a pair of defensive mistakes early in a 3-1 loss to the Impact, their first defeat of the season. (21) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (0-3-0, 0 points): The ‘Caps suffered their third consecutive defeat, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Dynamo. Fredy Montero scored from the penalty spot and Lass Bangoura came off the bench to net an equalizer before Houston struck for the 73rd-minute equalizer. (23) New England Revolution (0-2-1, 1 point): Carles Gil has been a bright spot to a winless start to the 2019 season for the Revs. He has three goals on the season, including a brace in a 3-2 loss at Toronto Sunday night. (24) San Jose Earthquakes (0-3-0, 0 points): Cristian Espinoza scored his first MLS goal to give the Quakes the lead and if a second goal came during a strong first-half maybe things would have worked out differently. Instead, they suffered a 4-1 defeat at Red Bull Arena.Pro Soccer USA’s writers Dylan Butler, Julian Cardillo and Robert Jonas contributed to this report
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed the quality of football in the Premier League was exactly as he expected it when he signed for Manchester United – over-rated. After leaving his native Sweden, Ibrahimovic played four seasons in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie, seven seasons in Italy’s Serie A, four seasons in France’s Ligue 1 and a year in Spain’s LaLiga, winning […]
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The Colorado Rapids hosted a tired Sporting Kansas City side that entered the match on short rest Sunday night. After a dogged and goalless first half, former SKC forward Diego Rubio broke the deadlock with his goal in the 54th minute to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. But a late sending off for Rapids midfielder Johan Blomberg opened the door for the visitors and Johnny Russell’s strike on a free kick in the 88th minute salvaged a point for SKC in a 1-1 draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City:
Dillon’s defensive deftness
A natural midfielder by trade, Dillon Serna has been oft-played at wingback under Anthony Hudson, but last season was filled with mix results as the Rapids Homegrown was one of many failed experiments at right back.
With the experience of Keegan Rosenberry now filling that role, the questions shifted to what Colorado would do at left back entering the season. Now playing in that role, Serna has answered most of those questions, filling in admirably despite the team’s defensive injury crisis at centerback.
Defensively, Serna pitched in three tackles, four recoveries and three clearances – two of which were inside the 18-yard box. He also managed a shot across the face of goal in the 68th minute. It was an all-encompassing effort that garnered praise from Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson
“I thought Dillon Serna at left back was absolutely outstanding,” Hudson said postgame.
Seven minutes of hell for Johan Blomberg
Signed on to Colorado before last season, Johan Blomberg has failed to carve out a role or make a large impact since his arrival, which has surely been frustrating for the 31-year-old Swede.
That frustration boiled over on Sunday night as Blomberg earned a yellow card shortly after his substitution in the 79th minute for unsportsmanlike conduct and was sent off with a second yellow in the 87th minute for time wasting.
In a twist of irony, Blomberg pushed a shot which was inches away from doubling Colorado’s lead shortly after his substitution. Instead, his sending off led to Colorado being down to ten men for the remainder of the match, and set the stage for Johnny Russell’s free kick equalizer.
Anthony Hudson acknowledged the frustration of the situation postgame, but would not comment on the specifics of Blomberg, having not reviewed film. Nonetheless, it’s surely a frustrating situation for Blomberg, who was playing his first meaningful minutes since October of 2018.
A tale of two Tims
Tim Howard and Tim Melia have been the goalkeeping standard bearers for their respective clubs over the past several seasons, but ultimately, it was the two Tims’ gaffs which may have made the difference in this game.
Just before the half, Tim Howard averted danger when Roger Espinoza caught him off his line and was nearly chipped for the opening goal.
With the score remaining 0-0, it would instead be Melia’s gaff which opened the scoring. Lack of communication between Melia and Matt Besler led to Diego Rubio’s 54th minute goal to instead give Colorado the early lead.
In terms of volume, it wasn’t a lights out performance from either ‘keeper, but Howard put forth a solid performance with three saves to Melia’s one.
In the end, Diego Rubio has a former teammate to thank for his first goal in Burgundy.
“The goalie made a bad touch on the ball and I took the opportunity,” he said of the goal.
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Kendall Waston wrote his name into FC Cincinnati history as Major League Soccer’s newest franchise recorded their first victory in a 3-0 triumph against Portland Timbers. Club captain Watson netted the first MLS goal in Cincinnati after 15 minutes to give the Orange and Blue a perfect start in front of 32,250 fans at Nippert […]
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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – On a brisk St. Patrick’s Day evening, the Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City both found a stroke of luck with goals, but nothing separated them in a 1-1 draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
After taking a 1-0 lead on a second-half goal from Diego Rubio, Colorado dropped points, going down a man before SKC forward Johnny Russell scored late to earn a 1-1 draw for the visitors.
“It’s hard because it almost feels like a loss at the end,” Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson said postgame. “It’s feels like two points dropped.”
SKC came into the match on short rest having played a midweek CCL match against Panama’s Independiente. Sunday’s match also marked the sixth match in an 18-day span for the Peter Vermes-led side.
Early chances from Colorado put the visitors on the back foot, but SKC weathered the storm to keep the score level.
Kansas City’s best opportunity to take a first-half lead came in the 22nd minute when Felipe Gutierrez’s free kick from just outside the box went just wide of the mark. This led to a dangerous counterattack from the Rapids, but attempts from Nicolas Mezquida and Diego Rubio failed to hit the mark.
In the 43rd minute, Kansas City was presented with another golden opportunity as Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard was drawn off his line by Krisztian Nemeth, who played it back to Roger Espinoza for a chipped opportunity. Colorado avoided danger however, as the effort was just above the crossbar.
As the two sides entered halftime deadlocked and scoreless, Colorado had outshot the visitors 6-4 while SKC has swung possession in their favor with 62.3 percent of the ball in the first half.
After some more back and forth play to open the second half, it was Colorado who would strike first blood. A mis-timed backpass from Matt Besler was unable to be collected at the feet of SKC ‘keeper Tim Melia, and an opportunistic Rubio collected the ball to bury the shot and put Colorado up 1-0 in the 54th minute.
“I’m so pleased because Diego has been working so hard,” Hudson said of the goal. “He earned it and is going to score a lot of goals for us.”
The Rapids’ gaffer credited Colorado’s constant high press for the goal.
“I thought we had many situations during the game from their goal kicks where they were kicking the ball to us or kicking it out of play,” he explained. “The hard thing is to keep doing it consistently.”
Things got chippy in the late stages as head referee Allen Chapman issued seven second half yellow cards between the sides including five for unsporting behavior. Rapids midfielder Johan Blomberg was amongst those booked, and with a second yellow for time wasting in the 87th minute, was sent off.
“He’s going to be disappointed, but these things happen,” Hudson said of Blomberg’s sendoff.
In the ensuing run of play, SKC forward Johnny Russell equalized for the visitors, burying a free kick to level the match at 1-1 a minute later.
Despite dropping points at home, Hudson saw a lot of positives from his side.
“We cannot take away from the performance the players put in today,” he said. “[SKC] are a fantastic team, but for me, for 90-plus minutes we’d been the better team. We played tonight as a team. The players fought for each other. We were brave, we were positive, we were aggressive.”
Sunday’s result marked the second-straight road point at Colorado for the visitors in as many visits to Commerce City. Having weathered a heavy portion of its schedule, SKC will now have two weeks of preparation before it faces Montreal at home March 30. Colorado will travel to Frisco, Texas next Saturday to face Western Conference rivals FC Dallas.
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