The Colorado Rapids fell to Liga MX’s Club Tijuana 2-1 on matchday two of the Leagues Cup on Sunday Night. Previously, the Rapids under Head Coach Chris Armas were 5-0 against Mexican clubs, but the Xolos were able to stop Colorado’s high-powered offense to earn their first win in any Leagues Cup tournament.
Tijuana finished in 13th place in the last Liga MX season and had a negative six-goal differential. The squad includes one of the youngest players in the world, 16-year-old Mexican midfielder Gilberto Mora, who scored two goals in the Xolos’ 5-2 loss against the LA Galaxy last Thursday.
Armas elected to use a 4-2-2-2 formation that featured Darren Yapi and Rafael Navarro as the two strikers. Four starters from the Rapids’ 2-1 win against Santos Laguna on Thursday were left out of the starting eleven, including the “main man” Djordje Mihailovic, who was left off the line-up entirely and traded to Toronto FC the day after the game. Without the attacking midfielder, the Colorado offense was unorganized all night, with Navarro being forced to constantly leave his striking position to distribute the ball.
Through the first 45 minutes, Colorado failed to create synchronization on the field. Aside from a few runs from Yapi, the offense failed to create chances.
In the 39th minute, a Mora corner found the head of defender Jackson Porozo, who at first hit the left post, but then scissor-kicked the ball into the net to give Tijuana the lead.
The Burgundy Boys went into halftime down one and were outshot by the Xolos 12-2, only producing one shot on target in 45 minutes.
Although the Rapids possessed the ball early in the second half, they failed to create any significant sequences. In the 72nd minute, seconds after coming onto the pitch, Tijuana substitute Ramiro Arciga put the ball into the back of the net on his first touch of the game.
Two minutes later, the Rapids responded with a far-post goal off a Porozo own-goal. Six minutes later, the equalizer from Navarro was saved by Tijuana’s keeper, as Colorado was unable to find the tying goal in the dying minutes.
“As a team, we all think it’s a disappointment, and a big missed opportunity,” Armas said after the loss. “We’d like that one back.”
Colorado currently sits in 10th position in the MLS side of the table with three points. To advance to the next round, they must sit within the top four spots, which will most likely require seven or more points. Even if Armas’ squad wins the next match, they will need positions nine through four to all lose their matches to move on to the knockout round.
The Rapids will head to Dignity Health Sports Park in California, a neutral site, to face Cruz Azul, the current CONCACAF Champions League winners. The game can be streamed on the MLS Season Pass via Apple TV on Thursday at 6 p.m. MT.
