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FC Dallas reportedly will trade midfielder and United States men’s national team player Kellyn Acosta to the Colorado Rapids, according to Dallas Morning News.

Dallas will receive forward Dominique Badji, a first-round pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, international spots in 2018 and 2019 and a portion of Acosta’s transfer fee should he be moved in the future, according to the report.

Acosta was signed as a homegrown in 2012 and has made 117 league appearances for FC Dallas. He was part of FC Dallas’ midfield battle with Victor Ulloa and Carlos Gruezo, mainly serving as a backup.

Badji has seven MLS goals this season and was an unused sub in the Rapids’ 2-2 draw Saturday against Real Salt Lake.

Sources tell me FC Dallas is trading homegrown midfielder Kellyn Acosta to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for forward Dominique Badji https://t.co/Y7CZCqXY52

— Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) July 22, 2018

The post FC Dallas reportedly trades Kellyn Acosta to Colorado Rapids for Dominique Badji appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

After going up 2-0 within the first 20 minutes off goals from Damir Kreilach (11’) and Joao Plata (17’), a third-straight Rocky Mountain Cup title looked well in the grasp of Real Salt Lake.

But a 45-minute weather delay shifted momentum in favor of the Colorado Rapids, who came back to tie the match with a converted penalty from Jack McBean (33’) and a late-gasp goal from Dillon Serna (88’) as Colorado and RSL battled to a 2-2 draw at Rio Tinto on Saturday night.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s 2-0 loss to RSL:

Enjoying the weather

Before a 45-minute rain delay, which began in the 24th minute, RSL was dominant both in possession and on the scoreboard. Having gone up 2-0 within the first 20 minutes, a third-straight Rocky Mountain Cup crown looked like a foregone conclusion for the hosts.

But the delay in play allowed Colorado to adjust, and Colorado played with a better resolve following the break.

“To be honest, it was a really, really bad start for us and the weather delay sort of helped us because we were able to look at it and change a few things with the shape and make some personnel changes,” said Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson. “I think everyone in the locker room — we weren’t happy with how we started and we knew that had to change.  Full credit to the players.  Their response was excellent.”

The momentum shift was clear to viewers of the match, but also the players on the pitch.

“We had good momentum going into that weather delay,” explained RSL defender Aaron Herrera. “That weather delay favored Colorado.  They got to regroup and they came out a lot harder after that.  We weathered it for the most part.  I thought we defended well – we defended almost the whole game, it felt like.  It was just two frustrating goals to give away.”

Badji away, others come out to play

Colorado entered the match without the services of Dominique Badji, who was away from the team while finalizing the process of acquiring his green card. Having jettisoned Joe Mason last week after ending his loan deal, Colorado was also without its second leading scorer. The duo had combined for 10 goals, or nearly half of the Rapids 22 goals scored this season, leaving a big offensive void for the Rapids to fill entering the match.

With Badji out and Mason no longer a Rapids player, Colorado’s top scorers in the starting XI for this match were defenders Tommy Smith and Edgar Castillo. Hudson relied on Jack McBean and Yannick Boli as the primary attacking threats. Boli was once again disappointing, being subbed off following the rain delay for Enzo Martinez, but McBean delivered one of his better performances – holding up the ball in the attacking third and delivering on the penalty kick opportunity to draw Colorado within 2-1 before the half.

But the last-gasp offensive spark came from homegrown Dillon Serna. Coming off the bench and playing in a more comfortable advanced position for the player, Serna stunningly tucked in the equalizer behind Nick Rimando to steal a road point for Colorado.

“I just said go make yourself a hero,” Hudson said of his message to Serna before making the substitution. “It’s a local derby.  I could tell when he was coming on, he was up for it.  I couldn’t have asked for any more from the players after that break.  They forced the game in our favor and they gave us everything.”

Silver Bullet

Within the Colorado camp, it was a very publicly stated goal to bring home some silverware this season.

In preseason, Rapids captain and goalkeeper Tim Howard was asked about the club’s goals entering 2018.

He responded, “Trying to lift some silverware. I think that’s vitally important for any player and it’s important to me. I’ve never been one to be around for the numbers. It’s important we drive this club forward and we’re lifting trophies at the end of the day.”

But with multiple opportunities to reach that goal, Colorado has stumbled every step of the way. First it was CONCACAF Champions League which Anthony Hudson approached as preseason preparations. Then, with an opportunity to advance in the U.S. Open Cup, Colorado was shocked in a 2-0 upset by first-year USL side Nashville SC. The Supporters Shield is completely out of the question, while even making the playoffs this season is slim odds.

In down years, the Rocky Mountain Cup has been an opportunity at redemption for Colorado, and arguably the easiest path to a trophy. Colorado’s two away goals to tie up the match in this one still give the Rapids a shot at the rivalry trophy, although a 3-0 win or better will be required when the teams meet again in Commerce City next month.

The post 3 things from the Colorado Rapids’ 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.

SANDY, Utah — A weather delay and some rain put out an early Real Salt Lake (9-9-3) spark. After going up 2-0 20 minutes into the game, an RSL win over the Colorado Rapids (4-11-5) seemed inevitable. Following an hour-long lightning delay midway into the first half, Colorado came back to the pitch refreshed and energized whereas RSL took its foot off the gas pedal. The Rapids ended up scoring two goals —one penalty and one in the 88th minute — as the teams played to a 2-2 draw.

“We feel like we lost two points at home,” said midfielder Albert Rusnák. “… To concede that equalizer so late in the game makes it a lot worse.”

Because of a two-game suspension issued by the MLS following a rant about the officials and VAR after Real’s 3-2 loss to Minnesota, head coach Mike Petke wasn’t on the sidelines, and assistant coach Freddy Juarez assumed coaching responsibilities. At the start of the game, Petke’s absence didn’t seem like it was going to be an issue.

The home squad found success right from the get go as RSL came out in full force. Real took a 1-0 advantage in the 11th minute as a cross from Joao Plata found a diving Damir Kreilach who headed the ball in the back right side of the goal. Just a few minutes later, Plata scored his sixth goal of the season. As Jefferson Savarino neared the goal line, he played the ball back to Plata and Plata’s right-footed strike to the center of the net barely escaped Tim Howard in the 17th minute to give Real Salt Lake a 2-0 lead.

There was a stoppage in play in the 24th minute because of lighting in the area, and the delay lasted just over an hour following a 10-minute warmup. After that delay is when momentum shifted hands.

“Opened up the game, dominated, break comes and the only thing they change is a bit more bite, a bit more aggressive, and we didn’t handle it well,” Petke said. “We let two points slip away.”

In the 33rd minute, Colorado players petitioned the officials to go to VAR after a foul in the box, and Jack McBean’s penalty kick got past Nick Rimando to make it a 2-1 game. The boos were deafening from the 19,207 fans in Rio Tinto following that goal.

Factoring some of RSL’s issues concerning VAR, Rusnák didn’t want to speak too much about the penalty decision, but he seemed frustrated about the situation.

“I’m not going to make any comments because I’ll probably get fined, too, if I say something about what’s going on the field, but when they decide to check something, they check the VAR, some other games they don’t decide to check the VAR, and to be honest with you, I don’t understand the point of VAR,” Rusnák said.

Rimando came up with a couple of great saves in the 55th and 69th minutes to keep Colorado from tying up the game. Sebastián Saucedo had a chance to secure a win for Real in the 82nd minute, but his strike went right into Howard’s hands.

In the 88th minute, Rimando was tested and even though he came up with a save, Colorado got on the rebound as a second opportunity proved fruitful for the visitors with Dillon Serna scoring his first goal of the season.

Overall, Juarez thinks his squad was a little over zealous and should have been more patient with the ball.

“At times we’re a very excited team and our guys get a sense, and the fans even get a sense, when we’re getting to goal or the final third, but then we let the game spread out too much,” Juarez said. “Once it gets spread out, it becomes a complicated game, especially against Colorado, who wants the game spread out, who can beat you on those duels. They can go and close you down and tackle and make it messy, and we didn’t quite adjust to slowing the momentum down with ball possession.”

Rusnák understands the team will have to make up these two lost points somewhere on the road, and as Real Salt Lake gears up to San Jose Earthquakes, the worst team in the MLS, on Saturday July 28 at 8:30 p.m. MT, it could provide a perfect opportunity to grab those additional points. 

The post Real Salt Lake plays to disappointing 2-2 draw with Colorado Rapids appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.