Rapids Leave It Late to Defeat Leon

Leon 1-1 Colorado Rapids (Colorado wins 4-3 on penalties)

COMMERCE CITY, CO—The Rapids left it very late to keep their Leagues Cup hopes alive with a penalty shootout win over Club León after a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes. The Rapids take the second spot out of West Group 5 and will play road team to FC Juarez in the Round of 32 on Friday. León is eliminated as a result of the defeat. 

Zack Steffen kept Leon off the scoreboard most of the way through regulation making seven saves in the 90 minutes. However, Steffen would be beaten in the 77th minute Jordy Alcivar sent Ivan Moreno on his way. Moreno’s shot got by Steffen, but hit the post. However, Edgar Guerra was there to put in the rebound. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR determined there was no offside on the play and Leon were ahead. 

Seven minutes of second half stoppage time were given and the Rapids would equalize on that seventh minute of stoppage time when Cole Bassett sent a diagonal ball into the box which Keegan Rosenberry used to set up Rafael Navarro for the equalizer. 

Photo: Linda Brothers

It was straight on to penalty kicks and the Rapids got an advantage when Andres Guardado’s spot kick was stopped by Steffen. Andres Maxso had his kick saved by Alfonso Blanco, but Salvador Reyes would have his spot kick stopped by Steffen to send the Rapids to the knockout stage. 

The Rapids will now take on FC Juarez on Friday at 7:30pm MT on Apple TV. 

For more of Linda Brothers’s photos from the night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, please click on the link to her gallery.