Colorado Rapids' last two road wins have both been in Texas, and it is there that they return on Tuesday to continue their assault on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Having stormed back from 2-0 at home to defeat Oklahoma City Energy FC 3-2 in the last round, the Rapids head to Toyota Stadium seeking to topple the defending champions, FC Dallas.
It was at this stage last season that the Rapids’ run in the competition came to an end, and it was against the same opponents. Max Urruti scored in extra-time to win it 2-1 for Dallas, after Dominique Badji had earlier given Colorado the lead.
Badji would score the only goal of a 1-0 win in Dallas three months later, before bagging a brace in a 3-2 victory over Houston Dynamo inside BBVA Compass Stadium at the start of October.
Expect the Rapids to field a strong side. Nana Boateng played the final seven minutes at Atlanta United FC on Saturday - his first appearance since April 15. Axel Sjöberg, Shkëlzen Gashi, and Badji were not part of the 18 inside Bobby Dodd Stadium, while Kortne Ford was an unused substitute in the 1-0 loss. All could feature more prominently on Tuesday.
Dallas, meanwhile, will be missing two key players. Kellyn Acosta and Matt Hedges have both joined up with the USA as they prepare to play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Acosta has played in 13 of the team’s 16 league games this season, scoring three goals, with two assists. Hedges has played all but five minutes of his 14 appearances.
After a storming start, form has dipped of late for FC Dallas. They have managed just two wins in the last 10 games - and both have been against Real Salt Lake. But their early season dominance has them sitting fourth in the Western Conference, on 25 points from 16 games (6-3-7). Their only league loss at home came against San Jose Earthquakes (1-0), and was the first of two successive games in which they failed to score at home. That run ended with a 6-2 thumping of RSL.
While the Rapids were edging past OKC Energy in the last round, FC Dallas were having similar struggles. They needed a stoppage-time own goal from Modou Jadama to squeeze beyond Tulsa Roughnecks 2-1.
The winner of Tuesday’s tie will cement a spot in the last eight of the competition. The last time the Rapids reached the quarterfinals was in 2007, before they crumbled 5-0 at Seattle Sounders FC (then of the USL-1).
Having ended the Rapids’ run in 2016, FC Dallas went on to lift the trophy with a 4-2 win over New England Revolution. But, if the Rapids are to seek signs suggesting a different outcome this year, then note that Dallas began their successful run 12 months ago with a home win in round four … against Oklahoma City Energy FC.
TEAM NEWS
Rapids:Bobby Burling (out - foot), Mohammed Saeid (out - knee).
Dallas: Walker Zimmerman (out - knee sprain).
HOW TO FOLLOW
Web stream: ColoradoRapids.com
Radio: Altitude Sports Radio AM 950 (English)
