Luis Solignac would prove to be a pivotal figure in the match against Toronto. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
April 2, 2016 – Colorado Rapids welcomed Toronto FC and MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco into Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for the first match after the international break.
Colorado started the game without their first choice striker as Kevin Doyle was injured while on international duty for Ireland. Doyle should return from the nasty gash on his shin in three to five weeks, but in his place Luis Solignac got the start.
Toronto FC keeper Clint Irwin and defender Drew Moor made their first return to Colorado after moving to Toronto in the off-season. Both received a warm ovation from the Colorado fans when they were introduced.
The Rapids started the game brightly keeping the majority of possession. Dillon Powers found himself in excellent positions twice but saw a shot from the left side of the box hit Toronto keeper Clint Irwin square in the chest and a few minutes later, when Powers was clean through on the right side of the box, he was tackled off the ball excellently by the Canadian defense.
There was controversy in the match and it came early. In the 12th minute Toronto midfielder Benoit Cheyrou was shown his second yellow card of the match for a hard tackle and Toronto was reduced to 10 men. It was in the 11th minute when Cheyrou received his first yellow card and it was deserved for a hard challenge against Rapid defender Eric Miller. The second looked like accidental contact when two players went up for a 50/50 challenge. It did look like Cheyrou lifted his elbow into the side of Bobby Burling’s head, but Referee Ismail Elfath was in no doubt about the challenge as he promptly produced Cheyrou’s second yellow of the evening, sending the player off the pitch.
Colorado didn’t take long to capitalize, in the 18th minute Marco Pappa sent a tantalizing lob pass over Toronto’s back line to find Luis Solignac who calmly brought the ball down before finishing past Clint Irwin to the right side of goal.
The Rapids lost a lot of their early intensity after the opening goal and despite a Shkelzen Gashi shot in the 24th minute that went just wide right, the Rapids failed to up the pressure on a short handed Toronto side.
Colorado celebrates after Luis Solignac’s goal. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
As time was expiring in the first half Sebastian Giovinco drew a foul in the center of the pitch about 35 yards from goal. With the final kick of the first half Giovinco curled a dangerous effort just wide left.
The second half began in the same fashion that the first half ended. Colorado carried a slight advantage but lacked the intensity and drive to put the game out of contention.
Giovinco again had a excellent free kick attempt in the 57th, this time on target, but the shot was saved by Zac MacMath who showed much more confidence in goal than he did in the Rapids previous game against D.C. United.
In the 60th minute Jose Altidore came on for Mo Babouli after playing, and scoring, for the US Men’s National Team against Guatemala. In the 60th Marco Pappa was substituted for Dominique Badji. Badji changed places with Gashi at that point, taking the left flank while Gashi took over responsibility of the right wing.
At this point the match opened up significantly. Each side began making chances and although Colorado had the man advantage, Toronto, with the sharp passing of Michael Bradley and the dazzling skill of Sebastian Giovinco, began asserting pressure on the Rapid goal.
In the 64th minute Dillon Powers headed a ball from a corner that beat Irwin but careened off the left post of the Red’s goal. The Rapids pressured again several times before the end of the match, as did Toronto, although from dead ball situations, but the match ended Colorado 1, Toronto 0.
At the end of Saturday night Colorado sits in fourth place in the Western Conference with 7 points, although LA Galaxy sit on six points and have yet to play this weekend.
Toronto’s record falls to 1-1-2 and they have just 4 points from their first four games. They currently sit in 7th place in the Eastern Conference.
