The Colorado Rapids easily took care of a struggling San Jose Earthquakes club 5-0 in Wednesday night’s match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
The Rapids’ win, their third of their last four matches, moves them into a tie with FC Dallas for fourth in the Western Conference. The top four teams in each conference host matches in the first round of the MLS playoffs.
Here are three takeaways from the Rapids win:
Cole world-class?
Cole Bassett had Twitter abuzz with his fourth goal in seven games. The midfielder’s one-touch volley off of a Jack Price restart gave Colorado a 1-0 lead. The 19-year-old’s added three assists in the past seven matches as well, including one against the Quakes, during an incredible run of play.
“A goal and an assist tonight and a number of goals over the last number of games — the statistics are great, but it’s more about watching him develop. His game intelligence continues to grow,” Rapids coach Robin Fraser said. “He’s a player who understands how to find the space that he needs to execute the play that he needs to execute. This is not an easy thing for young players to understand and Cole’s progress has obviously been good over the last year or so.”
The soccer community is keeping a close eye on Bassett after one of his contemporaries was reportedly sold overseas — Philadelphia Union midfielder Brenden Aaronson to RB Salzburg of Austria. The 19-year-old is the latest in a line of young American midfielders to be sold to Europe. Bassett may very well be next.
Looking at both players’ MLS careers, Bassett has 12 goals and assists in 1,931 minutes of play, whereas Aaronson has 9 scores or helpers in 2,754 minutes. This year alone Bassett has notched his name in the scorebook eight times in 563 minutes against Aaronson’s five in 1,048 minutes.
Ripening Rapids
Bassett was the lead for a starting XI, which was the second youngest any team in the league has fielded this season with an average age of 23.7 years. His goal marked the sixth time in seven matches that a homegrown player has tallied a goal or an assist for the club.
Part of the reason for the sudden youth turn is last week’s trade of veteran striker Kei Kamara to Minnesota. The Rapids were also without starting striker Diego Rubio and designated player Younes Namli in the midfield. All of this makes their five-goal outpouring all the more impressive.
“There are so many young players who are progressing,” Fraser said. “The schedule is congested, and we do have to make rotations and we’re trying to keep everyone as fresh as possible. And you have guys who come in and obviously have done a really good job.”
Jonathan Lewis, 23, also got on the board for the second-straight week, bringing his goal total to five on the season. Reigning MLS Rookie of the Year Andre Shinyashiki notched his second goal in eight days and helped create San Jose’s own goal. Auston Trusty, 22, added to the action nabbing his first assist in burgundy.
“It speaks a great deal about not only the ability of the team to step up but the spirit of the team,” Fraser said. “It’s great to see guys who are out of the lineup cheering for guys who are in it.”
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way
The Rapids have recorded clean sheets in each of William Yarbrough’s last three starts. This has boosted the Rapids to the third-best goal differential in the conference. Goal differential is the second tiebreaker behind wins, and with the west being so tight–six points separate first from 11th place—this is already something to watch.
The defense in front of Yarbrough has tightened, only allowing multiple goals once in the past seven matches. This will be a key come Sunday as Sporting Kansas City and its high-powered offense come to town.
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