The Colorado Rapids won the opening game of the MLS season on Saturday afternoon, in a late 2-1 against D.C. United.
In what was just head coach Robin Fraser’s eighth match in charge of the Rapids, the former USMNT defender has continued a successful streak since taking over for Anthony Hudson on August 25, 2019.
Fraser has six wins and two losses at the helm – good for 18 points – and only Bob Bradley of LAFC had more points in that period.
“In terms of building a team that can compete in the league we are in the infancy of the project,” Fraser said. “But we feel we have taken some steps in the right direction.”
United went ahead in the 60th minute thanks to a Russell Canouse goal off of a corner kick, but the Rapids responded, and seven minutes later Kei Kamara scored his 127th MLS goal. The 35 year-old forward is fifth on the all time MLS scoring chart and just six back from D.C. United legend Jaime Moreno.
“Kei [Kamara] is a physical specimen: if you looked at him you would have no idea what his age is,” Fraser said of his striker. “A coach once told me there are no old players or young players, there are good players and bad players.”
Then, in stoppage time, substitute Jonathan Lewis latched onto a loose ball in the D.C. box and volleyed home the winner.
“Make no mistake, Robin [Fraser] is a good coach,” D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen said after the match. “They’ve got a nice mix, and they’re dynamic.”
The Rapids only made two acquisitions to jump into starting XI since last season, center back Drew Moor, and designated player Younes Namli.
“There aren’t many players who play like him [Namli] in the league,” Fraser said. “His touch is so clean and tight, and he can run himself – he can run us – out of trouble. I think he had a really good debut.”
Outside of the two acquisitions, Fraser seems content with the squad he adopted that was just 6-6-12 before his arrival in 2019.
“The team, they play hard for each other, you should see what the training sessions look like,” Fraser said. “To get a win like this, it really validates what they do as a group.”
It was Colorado first win in D.C. in nine years, and a well deserved one at that: the Rapids outshot United 21-12.
While it is still early in Fraser’s vision for the Rapids, the immediate turn around shows that perhaps Colorado is further along than many, including Fraser, realize.
With a core of guys he already trusts, it won’t take long before Fraser has his team challenging again for the playoffs in the Western Conference.
