Chris Armas: Colorado Rapids 'hungry together' after first home win of the season

Colorado Rapids will be on the hunt for more home wins after their 3-2 victory over LAFC Saturday afternoon at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The Western Conference club picked up three points at home for the first time in 2024 after a dramatic comeback against the 2022 MLS Cup champions. Just when all hope seemed lost, new signing Djordje Mihailovic stepped up with a jaw-dropping free kick -- his first goal of the season -- to level things up late on before he added a second in the 90th minute to help claim all three points.

It was a true test for Chris Armas' side, as they found themselves trailing twice to the Black and Gold but still managed to bring the game to level terms on both occasions. The victory propelled Colorado to seventh place in the Western Conference, and Armas explained that his side are more than eager to continue on the same path as the season unfolds.

"It feels good, it feels really good. I've said it a bunch of times publicly, I've said it to my team, I like the team, I love the team that we have," Armas said after the win. "We are hungry together, and they will attack each other. Again, we have so much work to do and I promise you it's not because I'm a crazy coach looking over details, we have work to do, I know this."

The former Manchester United assistant went on to relay that his Rapids side are nowhere near the the "finished product" after six games played in 2024. Armas also called on his personal experiences as a player to relate to how proud he was of the team's resilience in the early goings of the season.

"That process is what it's all about, you are never your finished product. To watch the team, go after it, to face adversity, is it ‘here we go again? To go down is not easy. I've been on a pitch. It's not easy for a player to come back but it's probably what I love most about the group. That they're together and run for each other and they believe that they can win. They believed even at four to one that we might come back against Portland [Timbers], I saw it," he said.

With the team's new signings continuing to integrate into the XI -- such as Mihailovic, Zack Steffen and Sam Vines -- the Rapids will look to start a winning streak at their home ground with FC Dallas and San Jose Earthquakes coming to town in their next home matches. If the Rapids were to prevail in their two upcoming home fixtures, they would match their wins total at Dick's Sporting Goods Park from the 2023 season with three victories.

"Our first win at home this season, I love it," the coach added. "Again, just seeing the faces on the fans after the match to see the way our players celebrate at the end linking arms. When I met with the supporters in preseason, they said this is what we want. We want to see a team that wants to come over to us win, lose, or draw. I said we will do that.

"To see them all be part of it together, staying after for 30 minutes is amazing. So, I love being part of it and having a certain say in this whole thing. I'm going to keep pushing hard, more victories, more home victories."

The Rapids will hit the road for their next two contests, taking on Inter Miami at Chase Stadium this Saturday before clashing with San Jose Earthquakes on April 13 at PayPal Park.

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