Colorado has taken on a different look in August
The Colorado Rapids head to San Diego on a three-match winning streak. Their first road trip since that run began comes tonight, and this is where the whole thing gets tested.
August has pulled Colorado right back into the race. Nine wins, 10 losses, one draw, 28 points: the Rapids sit seventh in the Western Conference and are back in the playoff picture. They have strung together four straight home wins without conceding, including a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.
Matt Wells says the turnaround came from a tactical tweak. “We made a lot of changes to the way we operate in the final third,” the head coach said. “The good news is we’re getting into the box more often.”
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Maziz already looks like a smart pick-up
Youssef Maziz has quickly settled in as an attacking midfielder. Two matches, two decisive contributions. He laid on the winner in the 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City last Saturday, then forced an own goal with a vicious set piece against LAFC.
“One of the big reasons we brought him in was his quality from set plays,” Wells said. “He’s made a strong start here.”
That makes him exactly the man San Diego need to shut down. The Californians are out of room for error: 6 wins, 8 losses, 6 draws, 24 points, 13th in the Western Conference. They are only three points off the qualification line.
San Diego stopped in its tracks at Portland
San Diego had gone three league matches unbeaten, with two wins and a draw. The Timbers ended that run on Wednesday with a 3-1 home victory.
Gabriel Pirani scored the only goal for the Californians, striking in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. It was his first goal in three appearances. The Brazilian midfielder arrived from D.C. United on July 9 in a deal worth $350,000 in general allocation money, guaranteed through 2026.
Mikey Varas is not making excuses. “Right now, we’re going through a tough spell,” said the San Diego head coach. “But you have to suffer through these moments, and the way to get through it is together, by raising our level of commitment.”
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