New York Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids: Three Key Takeaways

The New York Red Bulls fought for a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon. Here is a recap and some key takeaways from the game.

Both the Colorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls both came into Saturday riding high from wins in their first games of the season. When the match started, it was New York who came to play. The Red Bulls were aggressive from the start and pushed the Rapids back on their heels.

Throughout the first half, Tim Howard had to make a number of great stops, including twice when Bradley Wright-Phillips broke through the back line and had a great look on goal. Eventually, the Red Bulls end the deadlock thanks to an own goal by Eric Miller.

In the second half, the Rapids tried to push through to tie the game, but were never able to find the back of the net. The closest they got came when Dominique Badji had a good look on goal and put it straight at the keeper. Below are the match highlights, provided by MLS soccer.

3 Takeaways From the Game

1) The Red Bulls have a dangerous offense yet again

It is widely believed that the Colorado Rapids have the best defense in the MLS, and the Red Bulls tore them apart during the first half. The Red Bulls had great ball movement, and they were constantly finding their playmakers and making things happen behind the Rapids’ back line. This offense is something that could tear teams apart all season for yet another year.

2) The Rapids desperately need offense

Even though there were some half chances in the latter minutes, the Rapids struggled to make anything happen going forward. It also did not help that Doyle and Gashi were left out of the starting lineup, but even that probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference. Colorado needs to sign some weapons in the summer if they want to have a successful season. Too often last year they relied on defensive victories.

Next: Montreal Impact vs. Seattle Sounders: Three Key Takeaways

3) Tim Howard is back

Tim Howard had not played since his injury vs Mexico while on USA duty, but he looked sharp in the comeback. Throughout the game, Howard made a number of great saves that kept his team in the game. He looks to be a valuable asset for the Rapids yet again, and ready for the US World Cup Qualifiers.