There aren't a lot of must-win games during the MLS regular season. Nine teams make the playoffs in each conference, and with a 34-game schedule, slow-starting teams can go on a run late in the year and still easily be above the line at the end of the season.

But after losing their last two MLS games, and with just one win in league play since early April, Wednesday's game against the Colorado Rapids was as close to a must-win game for the Crew as a game in late May can be, if for no other reason than to provide a mental lift after a difficult stretch.

It was an ugly start to the game for the Crew, as the Rapids took the lead in the ninth minute, but the Crew responded with a goal from midfielder Lucas Zelarayán in the 37th minute and scored twice more in the second half to win 3-2.

"We've been through these kinds of things the last few games, I would say," Crew coach Wilfried Nancy said. "This is what I like with my team, because they are able to learn and they didn’t think about the score or the future. They were thinking about the task. For me, I’m really pleased for that, because we’ve been close to do things like this, but we didn’t finish it (before). I’m happy for them."

In the opening 10 minutes, the Crew couldn't convert on the chances they had to taken an early lead, and the Rapids took advantage as they took the lead for themselves in the ninth minute. As would become a recurring theme throughout the first half, the Rapids intercepted a poor touch from defender Philip Quinton and had plenty of space to run in behind the Crew's back line. Midfielder Sam Nicholson picked up the ball with a clear lane toward goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and easily tucked the ball inside the post.

Conceding early played directly into the Rapids' game plan, which was to sit behind the ball and strike on the counter-attack when they were able. It took the Crew nearly 15 minutes to find their footing again, and another 10-plus minutes after that to break through with a goal.

In the 37th minute, midfielder Yaw Yeboah, playing as the left wingback, received the ball as he made a run up the left side behind a defender, and as soon as the ball landed at his feet, he played a one-touch cross to Zelarayán in the middle of the 18-yard box. Zelarayán buried the shot to tie the game at one goal apiece.

On the restart after the Crew scored, Colorado defender Moise Bombito dribbled through several Crew defenders for a chance in on goal, but he shot it wide. Several minutes later, the Rapids again had a look through the Crew's back line, but Nicholson also shot the ball wide and the Crew escaped the first half still level at 1-1.

"We made a mistake and got punished," Nancy said. "But the fact that they stayed on the task, they were able to score a nice goal. This is good for the mind. After that, they were able to settle a bit and we adjusted certain things during the halftime in terms of tactical elements. After that, second half, with a lot of humility, I knew that we were going the right direction."

To begin the second half, Quinton was substituted off and midfielder Sean Zawadzki came on at center back, a role he's played in brief spells for the Crew this season as they deal with a lengthy list of injuries at the position. The Crew immediately began to carry the run of play in the attack, and the increased speed and mobility Zawadzki brought to the back line made Colorado's long balls over the top somewhat less threatening.

The Crew won four corners in the first 20 minutes of the second half. The first two were easily handled by Colorado's defense. On the third one, in the 54th minute, Hernandez struck the underside of the crossbar with a shot — close, but not close enough, to putting the Crew ahead.

But in the 62nd minute, the Crew's fourth corner of the second half, they found the breakthrough goal. Zelarayán's service sailed across the box to Zawadzki waiting on the back post, and he headed it past goalkeeper Marko Ilic for the Crew's first lead of the game.

Hernandez was the spark for the Crew's attack throughout the second half, and he got his long-awaited reward in the 72nd minute. Hernandez has looked increasingly frustrated in recent games as his goalless drought stretched to four games — though he had an assist in each of those games — but he found a narrow shooting lane on a pass from Zelarayán, and the small lane was all the space he needed.

The Rapids found a bit of life after the Crew's third tally, but the increased energy from the Crew allowed them to close down Colorado's opportunities and keep themselves firmly in the lead. Cole Bassett scored on a curling strike from distance in the 95th minute, which ended the game on a slightly sour note for the Crew after a commanding second half, but amid the downturn they've been in, they'll take a win any way they can get it.

"It’s a big win for sure," Zawadzki said. "Had a little slump, so to get three points in front of the fans at home is massive. We have to continue to bring that energy again for another big one on Saturday. Hopefully, the fans show up again and we give them the energy we can."

bjohnson@dispatch.com

@BaileyAJohnson_

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Lucas Zelarayán leads Columbus Crew past Colorado Rapids in 3-2 win