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For the second week in a row, the Colorado Rapids jumped in front with a 2-0 lead at home. But this time around, Colorado held onto its lead and added a third, as Dominique Badji’s hat trick led the Rapids to their first win of the season and the first three points of the Anthony Hudson coaching era in Colorado.
Here are three things we learned from Colorado’s win over Philadelphia:
It was a statement game for Badji
Last season, Dominique Badji led the Rapids in scoring with nine goals. It was a solid season for the then third-year player and a continued sign of development, but being the leading scorer on one of the worst offenses in MLS is merely a consolation award.
For reference, over 30 players around MLS scored more goals than Badji last season, and no MLS Golden Boot winner has ever scored less than 12 goals in a season.
Combined with the losses of Kevin Doyle (retirement) and Alan Gordon (free agent) it’s part of the reason why Colorado moved to add strikers Joe Mason, Yannick Boli and Niki Jackson during the offseason.
But instead of watching his spot get taken, Badji has gone on a tear, scoring four goals in three games and trails current Golden Boot leader Felipe Gutiérrez by only a single goal.
“What’s important with Badji is he’s almost had to carry a big weight on his shoulders for a long time. To be fair, he just quietly gets his head down, works hard, has an incredible attitude and does everything that’s asked of him,” Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson said of the 25-year-old’s performance on Saturday night.
The Rapids have a full attacking corps, but if Dominique Badji continues staying healthy and scoring goals, any head coach would be hard pressed to pull him off the field.
Revered Rapids Return
“The opportunities are going to come” and “It’s next man up.”
Those two phrases have become tired clichés in sports. But those who’ve been clamoring to see fan favorites Axel Axel Sjöberg and Dillon Serna make their return to the pitch were pleased to see cliché become reality on Saturday night.
#FreeSerna https://t.co/YCR7zM7Rle
— @CapTied96 (@CapTied96) March 12, 2018
Don’t get it twisted – the injuries to Danny Wilson, which created those opportunities, were unfortunate – but Sjöberg and Serna’s performances in relief helped Colorado preserve its first clean sheet of the season and were recognized by Hudson.
“I think the subs did incredibly well,” Hudson said of Saturday’s substitutions against the Union, which included Serna, Sjöberg and Stefan Aigner. “All of the subs haven’t played yet, haven’t played at altitude or in a competitive game [this season]. To be thrown in like and stick to the plan and put in the performances is really pleasing.”
Class 5 Rapids Ahead
Maybe it won’t be that dire, but the Colorado Rapids are about to have their depth truly put to the test – at least defensively – for the first time this season as they head into next weekend’s road clash with FC Dallas.
With the injuries to starting defenders Danny Wilson and Marlon Hairston, the trade of a versatile defensive depth piece Jared Watts to Houston this past week, and the unknown injury and fitness status of Eric Miller, Colorado’s defensive depth will surely be put to the test over the coming weeks.
Serna and Sjöberg were serviceable in relief against Philadelphia, but with just a half at altitude, questions remain to be answered. Sjöberg has shown to be a solid defender, even earning MLS Defender of the Year consideration in 2016, but can he fit and adjust in Hudson’s newly installed system? Can he stay healthy?
In similar vein, fans know what Serna can bring as an attacking midfielder. But can he, like Hairston, embrace defending and make the transition to an effective wingback?
Stay tuned.