Dud No. 2 – Sean St. Ledger
Admittedly, the Colorado Rapids had little to play for in Sunday’s season finale at Portland. Having been eliminated from playoff contention 21 days prior, the final match of a dreadful season that saw the club finish last in the Western Conference was one for pride and nearly pride alone.
Head coach Pablo Mastroeni said as much earlier in the week. Colorado did have a chance to play spoiler, though, and possibly keep Portland from clinching a playoff spot, as they had done to Sporting KC on Wednesday with a 2-0 victory in Kansas City.
That was not in the cards on Sunday night, however, as Colorado fell 4-1 in the great Northwest. The lopsided score was not the worst part of the Rapids’ loss, the team’s 15th of the year.
Down 2-1 after two first half goals by Darlington Nagbe, Colorado was struggling to find space and any offensive momentum early in the second. Any momentum the Rapids might have summoned went out the window when a Jorge Villafaña shot from just inside the box on the near side was accidentally deflected in by St. Ledger.
Friendly scorekeeping in Portland awarded Villafaña the goal, but replay showed the ball was likely going wide if not for St. Ledger’s deflection. The dejected Briton was beside himself afterwards, all-but-burying his head in the turf as Portland celebrated.
Fanendo Adi added the nail in an already airtight coffin with a final tally in the 88th minute.
It was St. Ledger’s blunder that ultimately sounded the death knell, however. A fitting end, perhaps, for a season that was on life-support for nearly its entirety.
