COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The “three amigos” has long been a nickname synonymous with Denver sports lore, but with three representatives on this year’s MLS All-Star squad, Colorado Rapids fans might need to consider a reboot.
Colorado's Drew Moor, Sam Cronin and Clint Irwin were all named to the MLS All-Star team by Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni, giving the local fans plenty to cheer for at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on top of the All-Stars' 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the league's annual midsummer showcase.
“The support was great and I’d love to do this every year here,” said Moor, who played the second half. “I don’t know how many times I could hear my name being yelled tonight, playing alongside Clint Dempsey and David Villa. It was as much fun as I’ve ever had playing soccer, even if it was just 45 minutes playing on the field.”
It wasn’t all fun and games, however. With Tottenham’s star striker Harry Kane playing well into the second half, Moor was tasked with some serious defending, going toe-to-toe with Kane on several occasions. He was up to the task.
“He’s just such a special player and he’s got a presence about him. Any time he’s in dangerous areas, you have to get close to him,” Moor explained. “He didn’t do too much in the second half so I’m happy with the way we matched up against him.”
Playing in his home stadium in front of his own fans helped, but so did having his Rapids teammates alongside him.
“It was very special that [Irwin] and [Cronin] were here for this. They certainly deserved to be here among all these other players,” added Moor. “When you don’t know if you’re going to get this opportunity again, it was very nice to share some special moments with these guys.”
“It was a big celebration of soccer and really fun to be a part of,” added Cronin, who also subbed on at halftime before leaving the match in the 77th minute for Jozy Altidore. “To see the city of Denver energized for this event was really cool to see.”
Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin didn’t see the field as the All-Stars third ‘keeper, but was still happy to be named to the roster on Wednesday as cover for starter Nick Rimando, who was nursing an MCL injury.
“Even though it was in the 11th hour, I was really happy to be named,” Irwin said. “When you look back at it, no one is going to ask how you got there. They’re going to say, ‘That guy was an All-Star.’”
With the All-Star festivities concluded, the Rapids vets are keen to extend their win streak to four games with a home win against the LA Galaxy on Saturday (9 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
“Now we’re excited to get back to work,” said Cronin. “We have a huge game against LA and we’re excited to continue the momentum that we built up before this break.”
All-Star: The post-game celebration turned into a love fest for 2015 MVP Kaká
Everyone loves Ricky – even players and coaches joined in the Kaká love fest after Wednesday night’s all-star game. Everywhere he went – blinding-white grin stretching across his wholesome-looking face – a trail of besotted humans followed in his wake.
The fact that the Orlando City Designated Player scooped up the game’s MVP nod surprised exactly no one. All-star goalkeeper Nick Rimando denied Tottenham's Harry Kane twice, but the MLS All-Stars’ goals both came courtesy of Ricky, via penalty kick and an assist to David Villa.
In the post-game press conference, the star of the evening explained his mastery in an endearing aw-shucks, just-glad-to-be-here way. “I didn’t expect to score, assist and MVP,” he said. “I think everybody is happy because tomorrow in the soccer world everybody will talk about the MLS All-Star team beating a very good European team.”
Even Rimando seemed star-struck at the press conference. “Kaká is special, huh?” He said. Yep – special is one way to sum it all up. “He was something I was looking forward to come in here and play with. He always wants the ball, he battles, he fights.”
All-Star head coach Pablo Mastroeni praised Kaká’s unending energy, enthusiasm, and drive for a midweek, high-altitude friendly before slipping into rapture. “He exemplifies the type of human being that it takes to be great,” he said. “For me it was fantastic being around him, the way he carried himself, the way he answers every single question anyone asks him, the way he signs every shirt, paper whatever. Just an exemplary human being. It was a real privilege.”
After the press conference, Kaká – pearly whites still flashing, slightly dazed eyes still wide and shiny – trailed even Tottenham players. The post-game celebration turned into an extended inter-autograph session.
Relentlessly upbeat dance-pop (David Guetta's “Titanium," anyone?) blared as Gatorade-soaked towels fell in puddles to the ground. Spurs streamed in and out with players stripping down and stretching their jerseys out to collect each others’ – but especially the great one’s – signatures.
David Villa – who, remember, scored his own All-Star goal and boasts a slew of international titles – didn’t go for an autograph. But he still offered his own cool, Asturian praise. “I feel good, really good,” he said. “It’s fantastic to play with one of the best players worldwide.”
Jozy Altidore, still semi-fresh off international competition in the Gold Cup, didn’t even share game time with Kaká. Yet he still name-checked his radiance (along with Villa’s) as a personal recent highlight. “I didn’t get to share the field with him, but obviously Villa and Kaká are special players,” said the Toronto FC forward. “They’ve won everything on every level, so to get the chance to hang out and play with them is really cool.”
As for Ricky himself, he’s just hoping the halo spreads outward and helps the country he now calls home. “This shows and teaches all of the soccer world what’s happening in the USA and tomorrow they’ll talk about this result,” he said. “People will begin to look at the USA favorably and in a different way than they did before.”
All-Star: Nick Rimando overcomes injury to star in net vs. Tottenham – "I think he saved the game"
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Harry Kane, meet the Wall of the Wasatch.
The goalkeeper otherwise known as Nick Rimando was one of the most important players on the field for the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday night, helping them claim a 2-1 win behind three point-blank saves on the Tottenham Hotspur star striker over the course of the first half.
It’s a sight that Real Salt Lake and MLS fans are more than familiar with, and Rimando likely gained a few more admirers, including Kane himself, after his impressive 45-minute outing in the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game.
Rimando’s first effort came in the ninth minute as Kane caught hold of a looping deflection, smashing it towards goal from eight yards out, forcing Rimando to get down at his near post to turn it around for a corner kick.
It was Rimando’s second save in the 22nd-minute that drew most of the plaudits, though. Kane streaked in at the back post, beating his man to meet an in-swinging cross from Nacer Chadli with full force from just four yards out. Rimando came up with a huge kick save to keep the All-Stars ahead 1-0 after Kaká’s penalty had opened the scoring, and just a minute before David Villa would double the MLS team’s advantage.
“I think I connected too well and it went right down the middle. Sometimes you’re better off scuffing them in and bobbling them in,” Kane told reporters after the game of that shot. “But the goalie was in the right position at the right time and good credit to him, he pulled off some good saves.”
Kane did manage to beat Rimando once, though only after the 36-year-old ‘keeper had made a third big save on him in the 34th minute. The English international took advantage of a slip fromMatt Besler to go one-on-one with Omar Gonzalez before rifling home a right-footed shot from just outside the area that Rimando had no chance of stopping.
Nonetheless, Rimando more than won the respect of his colleagues and opponents for his performance on the night.
“After the game he [Kane] came up to me and applauded my performance,” Rimando told reporters after the game. “It’s nice for him to come up to me and recognize that.”
Rimando also drew high praise from a teammate who’s beaten his fair share of goalkeepers throughout the years.
“He was unbelievable. I think he saved the game,” said All-Star Game MVP Kaká. “Because the [22nd-minute] one was amazing. The second one was great as well. But the first one was amazing and it would’ve probably been the tie 1-1. We have to say thank you to him because in the end he saved the team.”
For all his heroics on the evening, it might be surprising to learn that Rimando almost didn’t even make the start. A contusion to his right MCL sustained while he was with the US national team had Rimando and All-Star head coach Pablo Mastroeni sweating his status for Wednesday’s game. Mastroeni told reporters that he left it up to Rimando to decide his availability for the match, and the rest is history.
“I wanted to play. I had some friends out here,” Rimando told reporters. “And I knew I had to be smart as well. If the game was on Tuesday I wouldn’t have played. So the extra day of rest definitely helped. But these games are fun.
“You want to be a part of these games. And some of these guys it’s special to step on the field with so I wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.”
Rimando says he’ll now have an “honest” discussion with RSL head coach Jeff Cassar about his status for Saturday’s upcoming clash at D.C. United, but was quick to praise the performance of backup Jeff Attinella in his absence for the Gold Cup.
For Mastroeni, seeing Rimando – a longtime friend and former Miami Fusion teammate – able to get up for the game and perform so well despite his injury was a moment of immense pride.
“I remember Nicky when he came into the league his eyes were big and he was so excited to be a part of it,” said Mastroeni. “To see his growth over the last 15-16 years has been tremendous. And he gets up for these games that are tight and that you have to stay in them.
“He’s not the same kid that came in 15 years ago, obviously evolved a great deal. [But] to put forth a performance like that, not being at 100 percent, speaks volumes.”
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