COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – By virtue of Saturday night’s 1-0 result against the visiting Portland Timbers, the Colorado Rapids have officially punched their ticket to the 2016 Audi MLS Cup playoffs.
Sebastian Le Toux’s strike in the 63rd minute provided the difference in a scrappy struggle between the two sides, but the goal was all that the Rapids needed to earn the club’s first trip to the postseason since 2013; the team’s first under head coach Pablo Mastroeni.
The Rapids also achieved a benchmark of 10 home wins on the season; a goal outlined by the front office following a disappointing campaign in 2015.
“You set goals because this profession, this life, is all about the process,” Mastroeni said. “It’s not about the destination, but how you get there. When you do get there, you want to keep achieving.
"This is a milestone, but it’s not ‘We’ve done it.’ It’s a benchmark in where we want to go, which is: ‘Be a great team in this league, and consistently be a great team in this league.’ By no means is this it. There’s a bunch of guys in that locker room that want to achieve maximum greatness. Tonight was just a fantastic performance.”
With Portland desperate for points in its own hopes to secure a playoff spot, the Timbers looked to be the more dynamic side in the opening half. They tested Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard with two on-target efforts from Diego Valeri, but Howard came up big with a save on Valeri’s initial effort while the second fortuitously bounced off the post. Despite those efforts and controlling the possession, both teams entered the break scoreless.
“They’re a talented team. You’ve got Diego, Darlington [Nagbe] and big Adi up front, who poses a threat with his presence and size,” Howard said. “One of the things we talked about at halftime was just that; this is a possession team and a very good one. If we defend for our lives and give the ball away cheaply, we might not see it for five or six minutes. When you’ve got a guy like Valeri, you’ve got to get bodies around him.”
In the second half the Rapids finally broke through, taking a 1-0 lead when Marlon Hairston sped down the flank and split two defenders. The ball eventually found Le Toux in Portland's penalty area, where he buried the shot past Portland 'keeper Jake Gleeson.
It was another milestone, with the Frenchman tallying his first goal since joining Colorado back in August.
“I think it was fantastic for him,” Mastroeni said. “It’s been a tough move for him, not having his wife in town. There’s a lot of struggles that go on for an individual when you get traded in this league, especially when it comes to family. With him scoring, it takes a load off of his shoulders and shows his experience as a professional.”
With the win, Colorado continues to control its own Supporters' Shield and playoff seeding destiny with two games in hand over Western Conference leaders FC Dallas. But perhaps more importantly, Mastroeni stressed the significance of building momentum for the postseason.
“I think the most important thing is to get better with every game,” said Mastroeni. “It’s important to build momentum. It’s important to go into the playoffs with the right frame of mind. It’s important to get better with every performance; getting into the playoffs and making a great run.”
