COMMERCE CITY — A number of factors led to Jermaine Jones’ star debut as the Colorado Rapids’ No. 10 — and it appears that will be the national team midfielder’s role going forward.

Jones played in the advanced attacking midfield role in Colorado’s 2-1 win Saturday, scoring a goal and playing a perfectly weighted pass to Dominique Badji for the game-winning strike.

“I think it’s a position that suits him the best,” Rapids’ coach Pablo Mastroeni said Tuesday.

Mastroeni said strong performances this season from Sam Cronin and Micheal Azira in defensive midfield, combined with not wanting to risk midfielder Dillon Powers’ sore hamstring in snowy conditions influenced his decision on Saturday.

“When Jermaine came on board, I was surprised by his ability to finish and be creative from a midfield perspective,” Mastroeni said.

Jones, who said he made the move to Colorado because he enjoys a challenge, was pleased with his success in the role Saturday.

“I love the freedom to go box-to-box and in my age of 34 people say I maybe can’t do it anymore,” Jones said Saturday. “It’s nice to prove people wrong.”

Mastroeni said he liked the way Jones provided leadership in that position and understood what the game was asking. Jones has typically played as a deeper lying midfielder and has even seen time as a center back with the national team and New England Revolution.

Asked if attacking midfield would be Jones’ role moving forward, Mastroeni said he planned to take things one game at a time.

“At the moment it’s a situation that we’re comfortable with,” Mastroeni added.

Powers appears to be the odd man out of the Rapids midfield for the moment, but Mastroeni said he got off to a good start this year and it will be up to him to work his way back into the lineup.

There is a temporary opening at right midfield, as the Rapids announced Monday that creative maestro Marco Pappa will miss two to four weeks with a sprained left knee. Powers has played there in the past, but prefers to play centrally.

Creative midfielders Dillon Serna and Zach Pfeffer would provide more of a like-for-like swap, but it appears the speedy Badji could emerge as the starter there in the interim.

“What I think we need is a bit of stretch and a bit of pace to be a bit more dynamic in the attack,” Mastroeni said.

Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or @danielboniface