Djordje Mihailovic, Rafael Navarro power narrow Rapids win over Portland

On a night where other MLS results put pressure on the Colorado Rapids to win, their hottest players came up big to do it.

After being outscored 8-1 in two matches against the Portland Timbers this season, the Rapids got their get-back at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday with a 2-1 win in front of 16,038 fans.

Jonathan Lewis got the Rapids on the scoreboard in the 14th minute after a string of short passes around Portland’s box got deflected and fell right to Lewis around the penalty spot. He took a touch and buried it past Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau for his third goal in MLS this season.

With the goal, he tied Mark Chung for 10th in club career goals with 26.

David Ayala responded for Portland just 10 minutes later with a tap in at the back post on a free header after the initial corner kick was flicked onto Ayala, who was wide open.

Though the game was played open for most of the way, neither team could break through in the final third until winger Calvin Harris was maliciously tackled in the 70th minute on the right wing 40 yards out from goal. Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, who was credited with the assist on Lewis’ goal, floated a perfect ball to forward Rafael Navarro, who headed home his 14th goal of the year.

Mihailovic now has 14 assists on the year and Navarro is just two goals away from tying the Rapids’ club record for goals in a season.

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who was named best goalkeeper of Leagues Cup, came up huge again, stopping or disrupting Portland chances left and right. He had three official saves on the night, but single-handedly prevented at least one Timbers goal.

The only damper on an otherwise positive night was a straight red card given to forward Darren Yapi, who subbed on late in the second half, for a very slight push on Dario Zuparic away from the play in the 90+7th minute. After VAR review, the call curiously stood for violent conduct.

With a Rapids win and a Real Salt Lake loss to the Houston Dynamo, the Rapids moved up to third in a tight Western Conference and are starting to separate themselves in the top four.

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.