A pivotal match for the Colorado Rapids is at hand this Saturday against LAFC. While it was unlikely, it could have been the last match of forward Rafael Navarro’s time with the Rapids, as his loan from Brazilian side Palmeiras would have come to an end the day after.
Instead, it will be the first of his long-term tenure with the Rapids. In the context of this season and the run of form LAFC and the Rapids find themselves in, there is no better test for your first match as a permanent Rapid.
Since LAFC joined the league in 2014, the Rapids have yet to beat them on the road. But the Rapids are buzzing, winning all three games since the international break by a combined score of 9-1. So is LAFC, which is coming off a 6-2 win over San Jose last week which ultimately sent Earthquakes coach Luchi Gonzalez packing.
Here are three notes from the world of Rapids this week:
Moïse Bombito rumor mill churning
Defender Moïse Bombito has been away from the Rapids since the international break representing Canada in Copa America.
So far, he has played solidly for Jesse Marsch’s squad, losing 2-0 to Lionel Messi and Argentina and contributing to a clean sheet in Canada’s 1-0 win over Peru. A win over Chile on Saturday would see Canada through to the group stage for the first time in its history in the competition.
Bombito’s meteoric rise with the Rapids, and now with Canada, has garnered serious interest from European clubs about a potential transfer.
It was reported Monday that a $4 million offer by French club Lyon was swiftly rejected by Colorado. Club sources confirmed to The Denver Post that the offer was rejected, but did not comment on the dollar amount. The source also said there is additional interest across Europe for Bombito.
A $4 million offer would nearly double the club record for an outbound transfer, but it’s clear the Rapids believe Bombito is worth much more. More importantly, the club is doing everything it can to manage what’s best for the team and what’s best for Bombito.
That said, the Rapids are operating from a position of strength when it comes to the 24-year-old. It’s relatively common for players to go to Europe before they’re ready, and the club wants to make sure Bombito is set up for success.
Chacón, Stewart-Baynes back in action
In weeks past, rookie winger Kimani Stewart-Baynes (groin) and center back Daniel Chacón (ACL) have been doing light running on the sidelines during training, rarely getting the chance to participate in drills or dribble a ball.
Tuesday, both were active in various drills and looked comfortable, though neither looked willing to strain themselves just yet.
Rapids coach Chris Armas said both are progressing well in their recoveries, but there is no timeline for return.
“We’ve got to see how both of those guys respond,” Armas said after training on Tuesday. “Kimani looked like I thought he would look: Like a kid in a candy shop. … He looks sharp in the attack, he looks happy to be out there again.
“And Chacón, it’s good to see him getting involved in some of the functional work and he enjoys that stuff too. It’s tedious at times for some players, but he’s just happy to get those reps. … For both of them, we’ve just got to see how they respond after some increased levels of work.”
Chacón has not played yet this season. Stewart-Baynes has amassed 60 minutes over five appearances, recording an assist in a 3-2 win over LAFC at home back in March.
Rapids look for first-ever win at LAFC
Reigning MLS Cup runners-up LAFC has it all. Denis Bouanga is third in the league in scoring with 13 goals and Mateusz Bogusz isn’t far off with nine of his own. Both have double-digit goal contributions so far.
To top it off, only two teams in the league (Charlotte and Columbus) have allowed fewer goals than LAFC (23 in 19 games).
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It provides a unique opportunity for the Rapids — a chance at their first win at BMO Stadium against the Western Conference leader — but it will take nothing less than near perfection to get a second win over LAFC this season.
To continue the team’s hot streak since the international break, defender Keegan Rosenberry said the team can’t be afraid of the moment and must focus defensively on always having one more defender than the opponent has attackers.
“They’ve got special players who can score goals very efficiently, and I think something we talked about even with Montréal is the shape behind the ball and sorting out a plus-one numbers advantage for us behind the ball,” Rosenberry said. “That’s going to be a big focus for us (against LAFC), they’ve got speedy, talented attacking players and as long as we get the numbers right, hopefully we can live with them.”
The match will kick off at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
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