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MLS Rewind: Rapids trounce Red Bulls, Shea’s blast downs TFC and more

SannaNyassi (Getty)

 

The Colorado Rapids Rapids lost Conor Casey for the year on Tuesday, but on Wednesday the Rapids attack didn't miss a beat as Sanna Nyassi's move from midfield to forward produced a hat-trick in a 4-1 thrashing of the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night.

Rapids head coach Gary Smith shifted Nyassi from the wing to forward, giving Colorado two fast forwards to dismantle a Red Bulls squad that sorely missed Rafa Marquez and Teemu Tainio. Nyassi looked like a natural up top, toasting defenders on multiple occasions as the Red Bulls struggled badly to defend or maintain any possession.

The victory solidified Colorado's place in the West standings, just behind the top four and in position to return to the playoffs, while the Red Bulls most recent set back pushed them further away from first place in the Eastern Conference, currently held by the Philadelphia Union.

Here are some other MLS results from a busy Wednesday night:

Shea's blast topples TFC

Toronto FC unveiled a plethora of new faces on Wednesday night, but garnered a familiar result as Brek Shea's 48th minute wonder goal helped FC Dallas earn a 1-0 road win at BMO Field.

TFC saw the debut of Designated Players Danny Koevermans and Torsten Frings, who showed moments of quality, but there were few true bright spots on the night as Toronto failed to break down FC Dallas' defense despite the arrivals of Koevermans and newly-acquired forward Ryan Johnson.

Dallas was missing players, defender Zack Loyd and midfielder Andrew Jacobson, but still defended resolutely and pressured when given the chance. Shea scored his ninth goal of the season after forcing a turnover at midfield, juking past Frings and racing toward goal before unleashing a 23-yard blast off the inside of the left post and into the net.

Timbers fall to West Brom

The Portland Timbers jumped out to a 2-0 lead vs. English club West Bromwich Albion, but ultimately couldn't hold that lead as the visitors from England rattled off three second-half goals to earn a 3-2 win in their international friendly at Jeld-Wen Field on Wednesday.

Peter Lowry and Eddie Johnson notched first-half goals for the Timbers, but West Brom rallied, and snatched the victory in second-half stoppage time on a long-range blast from Gabriel Tamas.

Sporting KC, Newcastle end scoreless

There were shots galore at Livestrong Sporting Park, but no goals as Newcastle United and Sporting Kansas City played to a scoreless draw on Wednesday night.

Sporting KC out-shot the visiting Magpies 17-8, but couldn't break through, leaving the 16,131 in attendance without a goal to celebrate as they endured temperatures that closed in on 100 degrees.

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What did you think of these matches? Shocked to see Colorado destroy New York, or do you think the Red Bulls are in serious trouble? Starting to count down to Brek Shea's inevitable national team call-up?

Share your thoughts below.

 

 

Comments

  1. I can only guess that “Matt” is Soler, given that the above comment is so ridiculous. I didn’t realize that elderly goalies (who were about to retire), a washed up English 2nd division brawler, and a handful of scandanavian players can possible conjure up a “European finesse-style system.” What European football do you watch and admire? Maybe that’s where the confusion comes in…

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  2. Brek Shea is owning MLS, the only question is can his current sky-high confidence carry over to the international game (and abroad once he leaves Dallas)? He looked to have no confidence last time he was called up to the US team, hopefully that will now change.

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  3. “Replacement for Donovan, check(Stu Holden). Replacement for Dempsey, check(Shea).”

    I’m a huge fan of both Holden and Shea, but what the hell are you talking about?? How are those guys in any way similar players to the two you have them supposedly replacing? Donovan and Holden??

    Yeah the future looks bright for a multitude of reasons, but your soccer commentary on the other hand doesn’t make YOU look very bright…

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  4. I can only guess that PD was being sarcastic when he said “great manager”? I don’t think any coach in the history of MLS has done less with such a large budget and talent pool. Backe has 18 months under his belt now (Philly leads us with a fraction of budget, and did not even exist at the time Backe was hired), the flurry of questionable personnel and coaching changes were on his watch, and his team has lost all chemistry, heart and leadership. Did I miss something?

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  5. Ream wasn’t anointed in any sense. He was a no-name second round draft pick whose selection caused people to scratch their heads. He earned his national team callup by performing exceptionally well as a rookie. He was hands down one of the best center backs in the league last year. He’s clearly having some issues this season – his lack of speed is being exposed and he’s making mental mistakes – but acting like he hasn’t earned the recognition he gets is absurd.

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  6. When is the last time anybody has seen a 21 year old American lead his team and score goals like Shea is doing? Not Donovan, he wasting away in Germany. Dempsey is comparable, but never scored anything like Shea did last night. He won’t be really ready for the USMNT for another 1 or 2 years because he wont get the kind of space he does in MLS, but still this kid has a very bright future. Replacement for Donovan, check(Stu Holden). Replacement for Dempsey, check(Shea). I dont know where all this doom and gloom is coming from the future looks bright to me.

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  7. Every time Backe puts Ballouchy into the game (which is unfortunately every damn game) I want to throw my couch out the window. He is pathetic. Brings nothing to the game. Is a liability defensively… and offensively for that matter. Henry generally gets pissed whenever someone messes up, but he saves his most glaring histrionics for Ballouchy, and deservedly so. He is flat out terrible. Stop putting him in Hans, please, before I go even crazier.

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  8. It may still sadly come down to the fact that MLS soccer is just a different animal than other brands of soccer out there. Backe seems to still be trying to implement a European finesse-style system and it just doesn’t work against what seems to be a defensive-minded MLS.

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  9. Brek Shea is the best player in MLS. He’s gone next summer, and I hope MLS gets their money’s worth, b/c he’s worth $10 Million at least. I’d love to see him play for a good team in France that plays in Europe

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  10. TFC was not bad the first half looking dangerous at times. Frings was a beast and prob had the best game any player/DP has ever had at BMO. Koevermans needs to get match fit. Our defense still needs sorting (particularly ridding of Borman and Harden). Regardless, showed a bit of promise first half regardless of how we feel apart in the second half

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  11. I wish LA would get into a NY state of mind!

    Those guys keep on winning. Its gonna be tough for FCD to pry the SS from them….but it will happen.

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  12. I got to talk to Gary Smith before the game and had a plan for Nyassi and selected him because he thought Nyassi and Cummings’ speed could destroy Ream and Mendes. damn was he right.

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  13. per the Red Bulls covo earlier on this post that RB is the Arsenal of MLS,

    TFC are going the Cubs of the MLS. Great fan support and stadium but forever the lovable losers of the league.

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  14. That’s true overall of poor TFC, but I don’t think they found a way to lose in this particular game, I think they found a way not to lose 4-0.

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  15. re: glaing… exactly right with McC/Bal tandem in midfield.

    Erik Soler, in trying to buy a team, has just swaped one problem for another.

    I’m not really sure what defenders are supposed to do when forwards drop back to collect the ball, get all the time they want, and run at speed right at you. If a defender steps there’s a hole behind, if they stay they’re burned.

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  16. I wouldn’t say he should be written off. Ream just needs time to develop defensively, the problem is a lot of people have been confused that good passing from the back equals lock down defender and cranked up the hype machine. I am very interested to see Whitbread if he gets playing time in the EPL. An interesting side note, Gonzalez gets dissed quite a lot, however I have never seen someone run straight past him like he wasn’t even on the field(Nyassi just blew past Ream on his second goal).

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  17. Was not happy with Ream and Mendes. Mendes has fallen off quite a bit from 2010. I was really unhappy with McCarty and Ballouchy. Neither on of them provided any bite in the MF in front of the back 4. That created the chance for Nyassi to run at Ream and Mendes.

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  18. A “great manager” would be someone that could figure out how to win in this league.

    NYRB is shaping up to be just another overhyped team.

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  19. from Matthew Scianitti’s article recounting the TFC – FCDal game:

    “It was never going to be that easy. Nothing TFC does ever is simple. Over the last 4½ seasons, the team has continuously found inventive, sometimes shocking, ways of losing.”

    el oh el

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  20. The reason people criticize him is that there are other defenders, just as young, who are better than him. Yet Ream is the anointed one.

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  21. Is it just me, or is NYRB shaping up to be the “baby Arsenal” of the MLS? The club has lots of class and talent, big offensive prowess and a great manager, but severe holes in defense, streaks of beautiful and technical football that seems to not translate into trophies or big wins? I know the season is only half over, but I’m sensing a theme here…

    It’s hard to argue about their talent, so why aren’t they running away with the lead in the East and trailing a team (Union) which has been workmanlike in it’s effectiveness but with relatively few moments of flash.

    It really begs the question: does pretty football work against ugly football? it’s a similar question we hear when CONCACAF qualifiers happen. Do you bunker or do you joga bonito?

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  22. Ream didnt look good but Mendes was the one that got burned for all the Colorado goals last night. And boy did he get torched.

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  23. I am generally a big fan of his. In his second year opposition is starting to figure out how to beat him….get physical and run fast. And boy did he get burned last night.

    Hopefully he can improve (he’s certainly no slower than many other solid CBs) it’s about anticipation and positioning.

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  24. I am so glad that Backe decided NYRB should basically quit the open cup….look what you have to show for it, a scoreless draw with a weak team, and a thrashing.

    BACKE OUT!

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  25. Ream needs time. I’ve said the following many times. I think he has considerable upside, but his positional awareness is poor and his speed is average at best. Playing games at the professional level will only help his positional play. The more games…the better he will becomes. He’s still a young pro. Until, he gets better positionally, he’s a liability at the USMNT level.

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  26. Shea is the hottest player in MLS right now. Hopefully he will succeed during his next chance with the USMNT and become an American international star.

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  27. I was at the game last night – great stadium by the way – and the Red Bulls looked awful. Dax McCarty was a turnover machine, Agueldo had no touch up top and the defense was simply awful. Henry had an ok game – his class is always evident, but Agueldo and Richards couldn’t do anything with his passes. The Nyassi move for the Rapids looked brilliant. Both Cummings and Nyassi gave them fits coming back to the ball and holding it up, taking on defenders and of course with their speed downfield. I liked this version of the Rapids much better than with the always lovable Conor Casey.

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  28. The RBNY central defense was laughable. It was as if Mendes and Ream had never met each other before. What was Mendes thinking with that back-heel “clearance”? The game also showed how critical Tainio is to the team; in his absence, Ballouchy was a non-factor. And Richards is back to his old miss-the-goal, one-trick-pony self — pace but no ideas. These guys are gonna hear it on Friday.

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  29. So Can we all admitt now that TIm Ream is a below average defender, He is a very good passer but he gets torched between 1-3 times a game. No more call ups until that stops.

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