Djordje Mihailovic didn’t have to wait until a warm day in May for his 2025 coming-out party.
Djordje Mihailovic of the Colorado Rapids advances the ball against Jesus Igor of LAFC in the first half during the Champions Cup at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Feb. 18, 2025 in Commerce City. His 48th-minute penalty and as good of a free kick as you’ll ever see in the 80th minute were enough to seal a needed 2-1 win for the Rapids over LAFC in Tuesday night’s first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup first round.
itched for an early challenge this season like LAFC. He got what he wanted and more from the second-coldest game ever between two MLS teams . From early on, it was clear the game would be about solving a mental puzzle rather than a tactical one. Center back Ian Murphy, who debuted in Andreas Maxsø’s absence due to a lower leg injury, dealt with shivering. Zack Steffen wore latex medical gloves under his goalie mitts. Mihailovic’s only aim on his free kick was to hit it as hard as he could. The pitch was basically a large slab of concrete painted green with white lines — change of direction was slow and ineffective and long balls bounced along like an overinflated basketball. Nothing about the match, except maybe for the fact Kévin Cabral drew a penalty that Mihailovic buried, was normal. Both Rapids goals were LAFC mistakes near goal that Mihailovic pounced on. This game was about surviving. Therefore, it shouldn’t be seen as an omen or indicator of what’s still to come, tactically speaking. “I think it’s a gutsy, gritty victory tonight against a good team,” Armas said. “There’s no two ways about it, it was really difficult for both teams. It was a gritty performance that was a big, big challenge that the guys dealt with just fine.”In a traditional two-game aggregate series, the away goal Aaron Long scored in the 86th minute at DSGP could prove fatal for the Rapids in this competition. If LAFC wins at home next Tuesday by at least a goal, it will move on if Colorado doesn’t score. And in the Rapids’ last three games at BMO Stadium, they have not done so and have not given up fewer than three goals. That said, there have been changes to both teams that favor the Rapids, or at least tip the scale toward an improvement. First, Rapids killer Mateusz Bogusz was sent to Liga MX’s Cruz Azul over the offseason. Of the seven goals LAFC scored at BMO Stadium against Colorado, he had four. Second, the Rapids are finding success and comfort in re-tooling their defensive scheme. Center backs Murphy and Chidozie Awaziem, an old pairing in a new system, did well to limit French legend Olivier Giroud. Outside back Reggie Cannon left it on the turf against Denis Bouanga. On that end, the Rapids have a chance to prove they’ve turned a new leaf. Doing it at home in as adverse conditions as you’ll see is one thing; showing out against your bogey team at your bogey location is on another level.“We’re going for victory,” Awaziem said. “We all have the mentality of winning, so we’re going to do everything we can to get those three points.”Perhaps the biggest challenge for next Tuesday’s series decider will be finding ways to deal with the depth challenges in defense. Late in the game Tuesday, Cannon went down with a leg injury that had players screaming to the sideline for assistance or wincing and looking away with their heads in their hands. He hobbled off the field with assistance. While there’s no official update yet, odds are he’ll be out for a while. That’s with Maxsø’s injury being treated on a week-to-week basis. And left back Sam Vines’ return to play isn’t guaranteed within the next week, either. It doesn’t bode well for a team looking to get off to a hot start. But Jackson Travis played a good shift after subbing in for Cannon. And new signing Josh Atencio, who was reportedly in the process of converting to a center back at Seattle before his transfer to Colorado, could be ready to go by that time and slot in as a third center back or a purely defensive d-mid. The Rapids open their MLS season at St. Louis CITY on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. before heading to L.A. for the second leg of the CCC next Tuesday at 8 p.m. Denis Bouanga of LAFC advances the ball against Cole Bassett of the Colorado Rapids in the first half during the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Feb. 18, 2025 in Commerce City. Columbine High School shooting survivor dies decades after tragedy. Her tenacious spirit is remembered. Colorado Senate passes gun control and labor union bills, sending Democratic priority measures to House Colorado senator resigns seat days before decision on ethics investigation -- amid new claim of faked letterCU Boulder student who went missing a week ago remembered for humor, love of movies and musicRenck: Nuggets' selfess Aaron Gordon navigates adversity with perspective, support of teammatesColorado road conditions: Snowy roads cause crashes, closures on parts of I-70, U.S. 6
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