Toronto FC lost 2-0 to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Emerging from the halftime break after a hard fought first half, the Rapids found the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when Reggie Cannon arrived at the top of the box and placed his low shot in at the left post.

TFC pushed for an equalizer throughout the rest of the match, but it was the home side that found the next goal with Djordje Mihailovic converting from the penalty spot in the 91st minute after Aimé Mabika brought down Darren Yapi in the area.

With an eye on the midweek Canadian Championship final and playing the third game in a week, John Herdman opted to rotate his side, making eight changes from the midweek lineup against the Columbus Crew.

Toronto largely kept Colorado at bay through that opening 45 minutes, bending at times, but not breaking, and had a chance to take the lead themselves when Brandon Servania’s cross picked out Prince Owusu. A last-second touch from Zack Steffen changed the trajectory and the striker could not react quick enough to redirect it on goal.

“That was the plan, to get ourselves into that 55, 60-minute mark, right in the game. That was important for us,” said John Herdman post-match. “We knew the first half, it was about set-pieces, counterattacks, and just to weather the storm.”

“You're playing in tough conditions here in altitude against a team that hasn’t dropped too many points at home,” he continued. “We knew it was going to be tough with a rotated roster, but I was comfortable with where we were at, being able to make subs coming into the second half to throw a few punches.”

“I was disappointed with the goal – a fullback scoring on the top of the box, you don't see that too often, so that was disappointing given how well the guys had been able to weather the storms,” Herdman detailed. “We had enough opportunities in the second half to get something out of the game. We had enough possession in their half, but we just can't seem to find that killer punch at the moment.”

“Whether it’s the accuracy of our shots top of the box, whether it's the crosses getting picked off front post or just not being there in the right moment. It's been a consistent theme across the two games now,” he added. “We just can't find our way to win a football match.”

Toronto were able to keep Mihailovic under wraps throughout the first half, but shortly after the restart he broke up the right channel and found Yapi out wide. A square ball into space at the top of the box led to the opening goal.

“It was disappointing,” said Shane O’Neill. “Their number ten was a big problem in the first half and unfortunately we didn't execute in stopping him from making a play on the first goal. That was super frustrating because it happened so quickly after halftime that it felt like it changed the rhythm of the game.”

“The last 20, 25 minutes we got a foothold and just weren't able to create that big opportunity,” he continued. “It's tough with the games dwindling down to accept a result like this, but we've just got to move on.”

The first 45 went to plan, but once Colorado went ahead Toronto could not find a response.

“I was happy with the resilience and the fight in that first half. That's a group of players that haven't played together since Nashville way back when.” said Herdman, referencing the match on May 15. “Very similar, a resilient first 45 minutes where their job was to limit those big moments, those big shots, big opportunities, limit them as much as they can, and then try and grab something on the counter or from set-pieces.”

“[That group of players] had some big moments themselves, but at the same time that was a first half performance where Colorado, they had chances but nothing that I felt was gilt-edged, hit the crossbar, hit the post, that type of stuff,” he continued. “The second half was where we had to go and win the game. We made a decent account of it. For periods we had our momentum, but just couldn't find that killer punch.”

“That's something I'm challenging the guys to get after. The guys were in the fight, but we're missing that real killer punch,” Herdman reiterated. “When a cross comes in at the back post, we have to be able to score those opportunities. When we have a long throw in and it's bobbling around in the six-yard box, someone's got to come firing in and bury that. That's certainly what we'll be pushing coming into that [Canadian Championship] final where someone has got to have that cup final moment for us.”

Toronto had a handful of good looks as the clock ticked down: Kosi Thompson got into a good spot but sent his attempt high, Richie Laryea put a tight-angled attempt on frame but Steffen stayed big to get a piece, and Federico Bernardeschi placed a dangerous free kick on target but the Colorado goalkeeper was equal to that as well.

Goals, or even just big chances, change the game.

“It changes momentum in games,” said O’Neill. “Even just psychologically, creating that big opportunity, big moments, can give you more of a foothold in the game.”

“We were close to being able to do that, but we just couldn't quite find that missing link, missing pass. Second half especially, there was opportunities, but it's just on to Wednesday. We’ve got to forget it because it's such a quick turnaround, such an important game.”

Wednesday is indeed a big one.

Toronto will remain in Colorado for a few days before heading into Vancouver for the final of the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship.

“It's next task, always next task,” pivoted Herdman. “We addressed it in the dressing room. We missed a moment tonight. There's no doubt in my mind we could have taken something out of this game given the shift they put in in the first half to keep us in the game for the second and to bring more quality in. We missed a big opportunity here.”

“We've left it here. We have to. It's next task now,” he continued. “It's on to a final and get excited for that. They have earned the right to step into BC Place and play for a trophy, play for a Concacaf [Champions Cup] spot. These are all parts of our goals, we'll get after that and then we'll address the MLS [Cup playoff race] with a game against Chicago [Fire] and New York [Red Bulls] coming.”

“It's next task,” drove home Herdman. “That's all we can control: how we get ready for Vancouver, the excitement going in, that players push to get themselves ready, and, for our fans, to show up there with a strong spirit and a good mindset to get after a trophy.”

“We won't be able to get into Vancouver too early,” he added. “It's always difficult to get training venues there, so we'll hang around in Colorado for a little while and then get ourselves in, ready to push.”

Toronto has not lifted the Voyageurs Cup since 2020, technically (that makeshift final was delayed until 2022). TFC and the Whitecaps met in the 2022 final proper, also at BC Place. The match ended 1-1 with Vancouver winning 5-3 in a shootout, a result that still sits with O’Neill.

“Full focus on that game,” he said. “You leave this locker room, this match is done with, we didn't get the result, but we know what we need to do.”

“We lost that final a couple years ago,” recalled O’Neill. “It’s still a bad taste in the mouth and we want to get that trophy back.”