The Colorado Rapids embark on a three-game MLS home stand beginning on Thursday, when they host Sporting Kansas City at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
A 3-0 defeat versus Los Angeles FC last weekend ended the Rapids' three-match domestic winning run, while SKC ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over Austin FC.
Match preview
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On Thursday, as Americans celebrate Independence Day, the Burgundy Boys seek to extend their unbeaten run at home in this competition to five matches.
In his first year as manager, Chris Armas has transformed this club into a dynamic attacking unit, netting 38 goals after 21 league fixtures this year, a dozen more than a season ago when they had the joint-fewest in MLS.
The Rapids currently rank seventh in the league for goals per game (1.81) and third overall regarding expected goals per match (1.69).
Like the Colorado sides from seasons past, this edition of the Burgundy Boys are particularly dangerous in dead ball situations, scoring 10 goals off set pieces, the second-most in MLS behind only the Philadelphia Union (12).
While they have been much sharper in the attacking third, this team know how to maintain an advantage as well, winning seven matches this season when leading at the half, with that other result being a draw.
So far in 2024, they have triumphed in five domestic home fixtures, two more than they managed during the previous regular season.
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At last, Sporting emerged victorious from an MLS encounter this past weekend, winning for only the second time in their previous 15 league games.
After 21 domestic encounters, KC find themselves second from bottom in the Western Conference with 17 points, 11 below the playoff line.
Long-time manager Peter Vermes can claim his 200th regular season victory as a head coach on Thursday and only their second away from home this year.
Throughout the campaign, Kansas City have looked vulnerable defensively, conceding the second-most goals in the league (44), though last weekend, they did not allow a single effort on target for just the 15th time in their MLS regular season history.
Vermes has continuously rotated the squad, but few combinations have worked, with Sporting employing 15 different starting lineups in their last 15 encounters.
SKC are winless in their last 10 away matches against the Rapids and have not beaten them at Dick's Sporting Good Park since March 2014 (3-2).
Team News
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Jackson Travis was unavailable to the Rapids last weekend due to a stress fracture, while Daniel Chacon is dealing with a knee injury and Kevin Cabral will be suspended.
Ligue 1 side Lyon are reportedly interested in Moise Bombito, who will miss this match as he remains on international duty for Canada at the Copa America, while Lamine Diack will return to Nantes in the French top flight after the Burgundy Boys and La Maison Jaune agreed to end his loan spell.
Captain Keegan Rosenberry was the only Rapids player selected for the MLS All-Star game, the second time he has earned the honour in his career and the first for him since 2016 when he was a member of the Philadelphia Union.
On Saturday, Sporting did not have Robert Castellanos available because of an ankle issue, Remi Walter sat out with a sore knee, Daniel Salloi was sidelined due to an ankle problem and Logan Ndenbe continues to recover from a torn ACL.
Felipe Hernandez has been placed on administrative leave after reports surfaced that he had allegedly violated the league's gambling policies and the terms of his January 2022 reinstatement.
Goals from Tim Leibold and Stephen Afrifa were all SKC would need to defeat the Verde and Black last weekend, with Tim Melia collecting just his second MLS clean sheet of the season.
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Rosenberry, Abubakar, Maxso, Vines; Ronan, Bassett, Fernandez, Mihailovic, Larraz; Navarro
Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:
Melia; Pierre, Rosero, Voloder, Leibold; Rodriguez, Radoja, Thommy; Russell, Pulido, Agada
We say: Colorado Rapids 2-0 Sporting Kansas City
Kansas City have conceded multiple goals in each of their last three away matches in this competition, and against a Rapids side full of energy and creativity we expect the visitors to be on the back foot for much of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
