COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids (10-13-9, 39 pts) will host Fan Appreciation Night as they welcome FC Dallas (13-8-11, 50 pts) to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, October 1 (1:30 p.m. MT; UniMás, TUDN, Twitter, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM) for their final home match of the year.
Colorado enters the match looking to extend a seven-match unbeaten run at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park dating back to mid-July. Against FC Dallas, Robin Fraser’s side is currently 2-1-1 (W-L-D) across their last four matches. The Texan side has not recorded a win in Colorado since October 18, 2014 (1-4-4 in that time), with the Rapids winning their last four encounters at DSGP, equaling their longest home winning streak in the series (2002-03, including playoffs).
The Rapids will be facing a Dallas side that recently played to a 1-1 draw on the road against the San Jose Earthquakes. The result clinched a 2022 Audi MLS Cup Playoff berth for Dallas, marking the seventh time the club has qualified in the last nine seasons. U.S. Men’s National Team forward Jesús Ferreira leads his side with 18 goals, while USMNT midfielder Paul Arriola and Argentine forward Alan Velasco have been the top deliverers with six assists each. In goal, Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Paes has recorded eight clean sheets this season.
Forward Diego Rubio enters the Rapids’ final two games of the season on the heels of a few individual club records. The Chilean international leads the team with 14 goals this season, a career-high that is just two short of matching Rapids great Conor Casey for the most goals by an individual player in a single season (16). Rubio has contributed to a goal in each of his last eight home matches (six goals, two assists) and his most recent goal marked his 21st goal contribution of the year (14 goals, 7 assists), tying Mark Chung (21 in 2002) and John Spencer (21 in 2001) for the most goal contributions in a single season in club history. Rubio is also now one game-winning goal away from setting a new club record for most game-winning goals all-time in Rapids history; his current tally of 12 is tied with Paul Bravo.
Saturday’s match will see three Rapids—Drew Moor, Michael Barrios and Bryan Acosta—face their former club. Moor was originally drafted by FC Dallas sixth overall in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft and went on to spend five seasons with the club, registering 123 appearances, eight goals, and a pair of assists. Barrios spent six seasons with Dallas before joining the Rapids in 2021, leaving as the club’s second all-time leader in combined goals and assists (75). During his time in Texas, the Colombian winger helped Dallas capture the 2016 MLS Supporters’ Shield and the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, while being named the club’s MVP in 2017. Acosta joined FC Dallas in 2019, making 60 appearances and recording two goals and five assists during his three seasons with the club.
As Saturday’s match will be final home game of the season, the Rapids will continue to celebrate several long-standing traditions with their annual Fan Appreciation Night. After the final whistle, the club’s supporters’ group, Centennial 38, will present the oars given to each Rapids Man of the Match during the year to their corresponding winners. The Rapids will then complete a Lap of Honor to recognize the Burgundy Faithful before taking part in the annual “Jersey Off Our Back” tradition where 30 lucky fans will receive a jersey directly from a Rapids player on the field.
