Coaches help Colorado Rapids midfielder Jack Price after he injured himself in the second half of the team’s MLS soccer game against Minnesota United Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski ).
The second half of the Colorado Rapids’ Saturday night game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park got off to a promising start. It ended in pain.
The Rapids lost 2-1 to Minnesota United and lost their captain, Jack Price, in a heartbreaking loss as he had to be carried off shortly after being substituted on.
Colorado made four changes after losing to San Jose, with Anthony Markanich replacing Alex Gersbach and Sam Nicholson in the starting XI for Keegan Rosenberry, both players missing with hamstring injuries.
Colorado grabbed five shots in the first half as Michael Barrios and Connor Ronan each had solid efforts on goal after both had half-chances but failed to finish.
Colorado is one of three teams in the league, along with Seattle and Nashville, to keep a clean sheet in the first half of three of four games.
The goalless losing streak was finally broken in the 49th minute of the second half. After an overhit cross from Michael Barrios, Littleton native Cole Bassett went it alone as he spun past a defender and quickly unleashed a shot that hit the far post and smashed in. This ended a span of 319 minutes without a goal to start the season.
However, the lead only lasted five minutes.
In the 53rd minute, a handball was called to Danny Wilson after a cross into the penalty area. The Loons converted the penalty when Luis Amarilla sent William Yarbrough the wrong way.
With the score at 1-1, Robin Fraser brought on two substitutes in the 61st minute, Rubio and Price. Then the night took a turn for the worse. In the 68th minute, Price sprinted to chase a long ball destined for the Loons and he went down with a non-contact injury. The captain immediately signaled to the coaching staff that he needed to be substituted.
He was eventually carried away by training staff as DSGP fell silent.
That’s awful to see. Jack Price has to be carried off. #Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/HNAxepNbCk
— Brendan Ploen (@BrendanPloen) March 19, 2023
As Colorado continued to push for an equalizer, you could tell the team’s air was drained from the injury. The final blow came in the 82nd minute as the Loons took the lead. The Loons created a dangerous free-kick chance after a foul and subsequent yellow card from Ralph Priso. Substitute Franco Fragapane’s shot from the free kick that followed hit the head of Miguel Tapias, who scored Yarbrough to make it 2-1.
Colorado looked for an equalizer when Kévin Cabral scored a last-second nudge, but the team couldn’t find an answer and the final whistle blew after 100 minutes.
Colorado (0-3-1, 1 point) will travel to Austin on March 25 without key players on international duty in Darren Yapi and Rubio.
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