It was another successful weekend for the Colorado Rapids Academy at the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase in Dallas. Â
The U-17s advanced to the MLS NEXT quarterfinals thanks to three wins this past weekend. Rapids Homegrown Yaya Toure scored the only goal as Colorado defeated Houston Dynamo FC in a play-in match on Saturday to secure a playoff spot. Colorado then defeated Cedar Stars, 3-0, with Toure, Cam Wilkerson—who took part in the Rapids’ preseason camp in Arizona earlier in the year—and Alan Salgado scoring. In the Round of 16, Saul Cisneros scored and 16-year-old Rapids Homegrown Darren Yapi added two more to lead Colorado to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes. Â
The U-17s will look to punch their ticket to the MLS NEXT semifinal when they take on Sacramento Republic FC on Tuesday. The winner will advance to the semifinals, which will be played on Thursday, July 1. The final is on Saturday, July 3. Â
The U-15s took three wins this weekend, allowing just one goal as they won their MLS NEXT Showcase group. Devyn Mena scored the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Columbus Crew on Friday. The Rapids U-15s then defeated Players Development Academy, 3-1, with goals from Jacob Lahlou, Francisco Zuniga and Tadeo Razo. Colorado secured nine points from three games with a 3-0 win over Miami Kendall Rush SC, with Lahlou, Mena and Zuniga scoring to win Group 4.Â
Sam Bassett, younger brother of the Rapids’ Cole, scored as the U-19s fell, 2-1, to Indiana Fire Academy in MLS NEXT Playoffs on June 26. Then in the MLS NEXT Showcase, Nicholas Legendere scored twice and Dalio Pekovic added another as the U-19s defeated Jacksonville FC, 3-0. They will close out a successful season that saw them finish second in the Frontier Division with a 7-1-3 record and a +8 goal differential tomorrow against Metropolitan Oval Academy before returning to Colorado.
