It was all business for the Colorado Rapids 2 in Thursday’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup First Round match against local amateur side, Azteca FC. The Rapids 2 waltzed to a 3-0 win at Dicks Sporting Goods Park in front of 1,042 fans.
Rapids 2 center backs Joshua Belluz, scoring in his professional debut, and Daniel Garcia tallied almost identical set-piece goals to put the home side up by two going into halftime. Alec Díaz capped off the scoring with a simple tap-in with less than a quarter of an hour to play.
“One of our big targets for us tonight was about performance. Performance and progressing,” said Rapids 2 head coach, Eric Bushey. “We’re not where we were. We’re not where we want to be at this early stage in the season. We’re still becoming a team. Tonight was a nice step in the right direction.”
Rapids 2 fielded a mixture of returning players from last year’s MLS NEXT Pro regular season champions and newly-acquired first team players Sebastian Anderson, Wayne Frederick and Kimani Stewart-Baynes, along with homegrown goalkeeper, Adam Beaudry. Beaudry recoded three saves to earn the clean sheet.
After a friendly first ten minutes, Anderson drifted from his spot on the right side to the middle of the park, beating several flailing Azteca defenders off the dribble, finding Díaz at the top of the penalty area. Díaz resulting shot was deflected for corner kick. Anderson’s driven pinpoint corner found an unmarked Belluz at the far post for his first professional goal.
“It was exactly how we drew it up,” Belluz said. “I knew going in if I got to my spot on time something good was happen.”
Azteca’s first opportunity of the game came in the 38th minute following prolonged possession in the Rapids’ defensive third. Aztecs captain, Oscar Montoya found himself with a little space, but scuffed his shot high and wide.
With moments left in the first half Anderson served up another superb corner, finding Garcia this time at the far post.
Sebi’s putting the ball on the platter, first and foremost, Bushey said. “The big men are getting in the box doing what they’re supposed to do. If you get service with attitude, with a bit of technique you got a good recipe.”
Rapids 2 made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute when Frederick cut through the Aztec defense, driving the ball across the six-yard box for an easy tap-in for Díaz.
The win puts the Rapids 2 through to the Second Round.
The fact that his side is representing the Rapids organization in the Open Cup is not lost on Bushey.
“On a local level, for our group and our players, I think it’s an awesome opportunity,” he said. “When it first came out that MLS wasn’t going to be in the Open Cup, I was disappointed by that. The best in our country should be represented. So, okay, there’s a hybrid component now. The event is worthy of the best soccer our country has to offer. But I’m excited for our program and to represent the club. In this event only, we are the Rapids, and it is something we take very seriously.”
