Colorado Secures First Home Win of the Season Thanks to Djordje Mihailovic Brace

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MLS Colorado Rapids

Colorado Secures First Home Win of the Season Thanks to Djordje Mihailovic Brace

March 29, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


The Colorado Rapids (3-1-2, 11 pts.) got back to their winning ways in an inter-conference battle against Charlotte FC (3-2-1,10 pts.) on Saturday. Thanks to the fastest brace this season in MLS by Djordje Mihailovic, the Rapids came out on top 2-0 to take all three points at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park. Zack Steffen posted his league-leading third clean sheet of the season as the club earned their first victory at home in 2025.

Notables

M Djordje Mihailovic recorded his first two goals in MLS this season and the 32nd and 33rd goals of his MLS career.

His two goals came just three minutes apart from one another, marking the fastest brace in MLS this season. The brace marked the sixth multi-goal game of his MLS career The midfielder now has recorded a brace in back-to-back day games at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, with his last coming against LAFC on March 30, 2024.

GK Zack Steffen posted his third clean sheet of the season, putting him into a tie for the league lead.

Steffen has recorded 27 saves this season, the most of any goalkeeper in MLS this season. The goalkeeper has now recorded 32 clean sheets in his MLS career.

M Omir Fernandez posted his second assist of the season and the 19th of his MLS career. F Alex Harris made his MLS debut in the match after being subbed on in the 90th minute. D Keegan Rosenberry made his 178th appearance as a member of the Rapids, putting him into a tie with Chris Henderson for the third most in club history.

COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH CHRIS ARMAS

On the match...

"Today was a really good reaction from our team after the last game, and we know we're usually really good at home. We play well in front of our fans, who once again came out. It was a good reaction. I thought it was mature, it was complete, and we've been looking for that performance. As a staff, as a team, and as a club, it might have been our best performance since the Leagues Cup run last year. From start to finish, a team that met the demands of a real game. Charlotte's a good team. You look at their results, you look at the quality that they have up the pitch, all around the pitch, and our team met the demands of a good game against a good team. Physically, we were up for it. Tactically, we were organized and smart. Technically, we were able to make a few plays. Principally, we stuck to who we are and I think that was a big part of it. The backline of [Andreas] Maxsø, Chido [Awaziem], Keegan [Rosenberry], Ian [Murphy], and around the pitch, our aggressiveness and tempo was good to see. Lots of good performances around the pitch. [Djordje] Mihailovic gets a couple goals, which was nice, but it was a really good team performance, and a good shutout for us at home."

On finding the goal in the second half...

"I mean relief. It's a day where we were pushing. I thought we had a pretty good first half, and in the second half we felt it building and felt it coming. To give Charlotte a lot of credit, they were blocking shots, putting their bodies on the line. You can see a winning mentality and belief in their team to defend their goal really well, but we felt it coming. It was going to be an extra pass or the extra touch to elude a body in the box. I thought the subs came on and did a nice job -- Omir [Fernandez] and Calvin [Harris]. Calvin got lots of little moments and Omir helped us get the goal. Djordje has a really clinical finish and also plays the through ball for Rafa [Navarro], and Rafa got taken down for the penalty. A night we knew we'd push it and we looked mature in that way, although it got a little bit open in moments and that comes as you commit numbers and bodies. The guys get a lot of credit because they earned it, they really earned it and put together a couple of really good plays. The first goal, and the penalty."

On what clicked tonight for the team to get three points...

"The guys are capable. It's not a can't do or won't do - they can do it. It was one of the messages at halftime, 'We're going to raise the tempo. We know at altitude that we can push the tempo. Let's play quickly and fast without rushing.' 100 to 70, just downshift a little bit in decisive moments we say. Both goals, Omir gets in, takes on a guy and lays off a good one for Djordje who slows down enough to finish it off, then the next play that leads to the penalty. What I kept saying to Djordje, anytime he's close to me, 'Just stay in it'. You can see he has these moments, passing the ball then there's frustration. 'Djordje it's coming, just stay in it.' On that second goal, the pass he gives to play Rafa through is a really, really good one -- the timing, the weight of the pass. There's these moments where they have it in them, but it's not so easy when there's another team trying to take away the speed and take away the depth. The guys met the demands tonight. They really earned those three points, and they are a really important three points for us as we creep a little higher for the time being."

COLORADO RAPIDS MIDFIELDER DJORDJE MIHAILOVIC

On growing into the game...

"It's not just the last few games. Last year, it seemed like we started the second half a bit slower and this is something that the coaches speak about -- ramping it up when we need to. The best teams do it. Liverpool does it. That's probably the biggest example of ramping it up when it's time. We didn't, like I said before, we didn't veer away from what the plan was. We know we'd love to put teams in fast games here, given the environment we're in, but being able to ramp it up, keeping the press, keeping the high tempo play. Sometimes for me, I need a breather, but it's good because I know that they're suffering more than I am. But again, you know high tempo press, finishing our chances, and the back line, just playing like real men back there against those guys."

On the performance from the back line...

"Yeah, we have, in my opinion, the best goalie in the league and in front of him a back line and 10 total players that are going to defend our butts off to block the goal. But like I said, it's about winning your man-to-man duels. I'm going to point Maxsø out because Patrick Agyemang is a huge handful. You can see that they stopped playing short on those goal kicks because they knew we were picking them off the press and the goalie started playing long balls to Agyemang and Maxsø was just manning them off. So, it's that mental and physical battles that we all have to win."

On the impact of tonight's substitutes...

"Yeah look, we have quality starting 11, and the guys coming off the bench, they can all change games. The coach makes his decision on the starting 11 and then to bring the players in. But the most important thing is everybody has a good attitude, good mindset, no matter your role because we're going to need everybody. In the important moments right now, you see, like in San Jose, those two guys come out and get us the win there. Omir and Calvin came on and caused trouble when we needed it most. I'm happy for them too, because I know maybe they don't think they're playing as much as they want to. That's normal, but to have a good attitude when you come on and make a difference every game, that's good."

- ColoradoRapids.com | @ColoradoRapids -

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