Rapids’ season ends with 1-0 loss to Portland Timbers in second round of MLS Cup Playoffs

A season with so much promise came to an abrupt end Thursday afternoon.

Portland’s Larrys Mabiala deflated a packed Dick’s Sports Goods Field with a 90th-minute goal, ending the Colorado Rapids’ MLS Cup hopes with a 1-0 defeat in the second round of the playoffs.

“Really disappointing way for our season to end obviously,” head coach Robin Fraser said. “Credit to Portland, they did what they had to do to win. It felt like we had them under a ton of pressure in the first half. We were unfortunate not to get one during that time period and then in the second half I think we lost a little bit of control.”

After claiming the club’s first MLS Western Conference regular season title and a first-round bye with a blowout win on Decision Day, the Rapids were unable to notch their first playoff win since 2016.

Making the loss all the more painful was the way Mabiala’s winning goal came about in the game’s waning minutes.

Kellyn Acosta deflected a corner kick straight up into the air, it landed in the box and then chaos ensued. Suddenly, the ball came to Mabiala’s feet and he put it home.

“It’s one of those things that at times you can’t really control,” Fraser said of the goal. “It just becomes a crapshoot in the middle of the box.”

It was clear from the outset Thursday that the state had embraced these Rapids. The pre-game video included best wishes from Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets and members of the Colorado Avalanche.

Worries that a holiday game might hamper attendance for the Rapids’ biggest match in years proved unfounded, with a raucous crowd of 17,438 filling DSGP for the first-ever MLS playoff game on Thanksgiving Day. It was the club’s largest home crowd of the season.

“They were phenomenal,” Fraser said. “We heard them the whole way. We’d love to give them something more to cheer about. But it was the best atmosphere I’ve ever seen.”

The first half saw no goals but a lot of chances for the Rapids. They had nine shots and created numerous scoring opportunities. The most clear-cut chance came from Dominique Badji, who got a free header that was brilliantly stopped by Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark.

The momentum started to flip in the second half, however. The Rapids continued to create chances, but Portland was much more aggressive on the counterattack. They continued to put pressure on the Rapids and eventually, in the 90th minute, the goal came from Mabiala.

“It’s not any fault of (the fans) by any stretch of the imagination,” Rapids captain Jack Price said. “They were with us the whole way. We’re just very disappointed as a group, staff and club, that we just couldn’t deliver today for them because they came out in numbers on Thanksgiving.”

The Rapids had some time to make a final push. But more chaos ensued, which included a red card to Portland’s Dairon Asprilla. The final push was to no avail and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference was bounced from the playoffs.

Despite the painful end to the season, it was not lost on the Rapids all that the team accomplished in their second full season under Coach Fraser.

It was a record-setting season in terms of wins and where they finished in the standings. They packed Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Thanksgiving Day, and with plenty of pieces coming back, this could be just the beginning.

“I feel like we’ve come leaps and bounds this season,” Price said. “We’ve grown as a team, the bond and togetherness is as strong as ever. This will only make us stronger again.”