Zack Steffen, maligned early in the season for struggling upon his return to Major League Soccer, turned back the clock Monday to help lead the Colorado Rapids into the Leagues Cup Round of 32 in dramatic fashion.
In a win-and-advance showdown against Club León, the former US men’s national team No. 1 goalkeeper made a pair of saves in the penalty kick shootout, including one against Mexican national team star Andrés Guardado, to secure the Rapids’ win at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
"Zack Steffen, I've said it many times, he's been so important for us," Colorado head coach Chris Armas said after the match.
"I said in the offseason what a signing for us, the way he trains every day and shows up, that message for me has been consistent. To see him make those plays, be the difference-maker there, I'm happy for Zack. It’s a big performance from him in that moment."
Late theatrics
Had it not been for a 1-1 equalizer at the death by Brazilian forward Rafael Navarro, Colorado would have been eliminated from the competition. But the former Palmeiras striker ended a seven-match scoring slump with the headed finish in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time.
“Tonight to see the overall performance, how much he was running, giving to the team, coming back into the game, putting himself in good spots,” Armas said. “And I think it's really important for him. That's a big goal, puts himself in a good spot. It's a great goal.”
That set the scenes for a winner-take-all penalty kick shootout where Steffen shined brightest as the Rapids won it 4-3. Now, they'll host LIGA MX's FC Juárez on Friday in the Round of 32.
“I'll tell you what, this Colorado Rapids team, they're very brave,” Armas said. “They’re fighters, they don't give in, difficult to go down a goal against that team, difficult to score on and to fight to the end, to get the goal back. We give our guys a lot of credit.”
Olympics return
The match also marked the return of Djordje Mihailovic, who competed for Team USA at the Olympics in Paris. The midfielder was influential when he stepped on the pitch early in the second half and buried his PK in the shootout.
“We knew getting him back from the Olympics would give our team a boost. We had to be really mindful of the amount of minutes that he would play, so we just had to figure strategically how to use him,” Armas said.
“It’s very tempting to want to start him, think about getting a lead when things are fresh in the beginning, but the decision was made to have him on the pitch when the game would be decided with penalties, with how the second half could look. I think it changed the game for sure.”
