On Saturday, the Colorado Rapids can win a third consecutive MLS encounter for the first time since August 2021 when they host CF Montreal at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
A 3-0 victory over St Louis City this week lifted the Burgundy Boys up to fifth in the Western Conference table, while Le CFM are 12th in the East following a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls.
Match preview
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Over the past two MLS campaigns, the Colorado Rapids were mired in mediocrity, finishing below the playoff line in 2022 and 2023.
The appointment of Chris Armas as manager ahead of the 2024 season, however, has brought new hope to this club, with the former New York Red Bulls boss employing a high-pressing system to great effect so far this year.
Traditionally, Red Bull clubs are known for being compact defensively, and the Rapids have been much sharper in that department of late, posting back-to-back clean sheets in this competition after allowing a combined 13 goals in their previous four MLS contests.
Their victory on Wednesday gives them 28 points domestically in 2024, one more than they had accumulated over the previous regular season.
Coming into this match, the Burgundy Boys are unbeaten in three consecutive league fixtures at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, their longest run without a defeat at home in this competition since 2022.
Colorado have won four domestic encounters at home in 2024, which is one more than they had by the end of the 2023 regular season.
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It was another promising start but a disappointing end yet again for CF Montreal on Wednesday, as they dropped another two points.
Wednesday was the fifth time in the 2024 MLS campaign that they had failed to win when scoring first, dropping 12 points as a result.
At present, that is the difference between 12th place and a top-four position in the Eastern Conference, with Le CFM on 19 points this season.
While they have yet to claim three points in a domestic contest this month, Laurent Courtois has seen his side inch their way towards a post-season berth, currently just a point below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.
Two of their next three regular-season affairs take place away from home, where Montreal have claimed just two points since the beginning of April.
Le CFM have lost four of their five previous visits to Dick's Sporting Goods Park, with their only triumph occurring in 2015 (1-0).
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Team News
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Jackson Travis missed the previous Rapids encounter with a stress fracture, Wayne Frederick sat out due to a sore hip, Kimani Stewart-Baynes did not feature because of a groin issue and a knee injury kept Daniel Chacon on the sidelines.
Defender Moise Bombito will miss this encounter for the Burgundy Boys as he is currently with the Canadian national team for the Copa America.
A hat-trick courtesy of former Montreal midfielder Djordje Mihailovic was all the Rapids would need to defeat St Louis this week as Zack Steffen collected his second successive clean sheet.
Montreal were missing Jules-Anthony Vilsaint on Wednesday with a hamstring strain, while Ousman Jabang sat out because of an adductor injury.
Joaquin Sosa will be suspended this weekend after collecting another yellow card in their previous encounter, while George Campbell is eligible to return from his suspension.
Mathieu Choiniere and Samuel Piette are away on international duty at the Copa America with Canada, while Ariel Lassiter will be a part of the Costa Rican national team.
Sunusi Ibrahim notched his team-leading fifth of the campaign on Wednesday, while Kwadwo Opoku briefly doubled the advantage with his first of the season.
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Anderson, Abubakar, Maxso, Rosenberry; Bassett, Loffelsend; Ronan, Mihailovic, Fernandez; Navarro
CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Corbo, Campbell, Alvarez; Ruan, Duke, Wanyama, Edwards; Opoku, Yankov; Ibrahim
We say: Colorado Rapids 2-1 CF Montreal
Montreal have been messy defensively all season long, and we believe the continuous Colorado pressing will cause them to turn the ball over often and lead to another defeat for the Canadians.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
