There's just not much to say about this one. It was a bad night all around for MLS in CONCACAF play. However, Santos literally just spanked the Rapids on their own field. Honestly, it was hard to watch.
I don't wanna kick the Rapids when they're down. Even though I hate them. They have a great group of supporters and they deserved a lot more than they got tonight. Honestly, it seemed like a Santos home match. I know what that's like. About this time last year RSL played Cruz Azul here in Salt Lake, and I suspect Azul fans outnumbered RSL fans by at least 2-1. The Mexican supporters bring a whole different dynamic to the match. It's hard when your home pitch isn't yours anymore.
Still, Colorado just got blasted. Santos was in control from the opening whistle. Throughout the match the Rapids looked to be trying to play a high line offside trap, but it was getting them nowhere. Santos just torched their defense time after time. If there's one thing that's going to keep the Rapids from repeating their MLS cup success, it's defense. They give up way too many goals, even though both Pickens and Ceus are quality 'keepers in my book.
Anyway, Santos got two gorgeous first half goals. One came from Luduena in the 14th, the other from Oribe Peralta in the 27th. The second came as the Rapids were too busy looking for an offside flag. While the initial angle suggested that Peralta might have been off, CONCACAF showed a different angle later that showed he was on. At any rate, you gotta play to the whistle. In Champions League, you can't count on PKs or offside calls to save you.
Santos tacked two more on for good measure in the second half. Carlos Quintero finally broke free in the 64th, again torching the Rapids defense and scoring to make it 0-3. Then in the 71st, Cristian Suarez found a goal inside the far post to make it 0-4.
Brian Mullan, who was about the only Colorado player to show up tonight, got a cosmetic goal in the 77th minute to make it 1-4, which was the full time result.
Metapan beat Real Espana tonight, which drops Colorado to 3rd in the group. They're going to need to win 2 of their last 3 matches to have a chance to get through the group stage. It's going to be hard because their last two are on the road. They're going to need to win one of those matches. The hit to their goal differential tonight won't help either.
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