COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Following their nine-goal thriller on Tuesday, the Colorado Rapids (7-9-6, 27 pts) will return to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park for the first time in three weeks as they take on Minnesota United FC (10-8-5, 35 pts) on Saturday, August 6 (7 p.m. MT; Altitude Sports, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM).
Saturday’s match will be the second and final regular-season encounter between Colorado and Minnesota. The Rapids are currently riding a five-game unbeaten run at home against the Loons (4-0-1), outscoring MNUFC nine to six in that span. However, Robin Fraser’s side will look to avenge earlier results this year that saw the Burgundy Boys drop the initial leg in the series 3-1 at Allianz Field back in April, as well as a 2-1 loss in the Round of 32 of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Minnesota enters the match following a 4-4 draw at home last weekend against the Portland Timbers. Leading the charge for Midwestern side is Argentinian midfielder Emanuel Reynoso who leads the Loons with nine goals and six assists. The Loons will be without the former Boca Juniors midfielder, however, as he’ll miss this weekend’s match due to suspension along with defender Michael Boxall and midfielder Robin Lod. Canadian international goalkeeper Dayne St. Claire has posted four shutouts for his side this season, the most recent one coming at home against D.C. United on July 16; on the road, Minnesota held a team scoreless on March 13 against the New York Red Bulls in a 1-0 win.
Speaking of the Red Bulls, the Rapids will look to build on a 5-4 comeback win on Tuesday night against the Eastern Conference side, a match that saw the Burgundy Boys rally from a two-goal deficit twice. Five different Rapids players got on the scoresheet, including 17-year-old forward Dantouma “Yaya” Toure whose 89th-minute goal—his first in MLS—proved the game-winner. Toure was a product of the Red Bulls’ academy system before joining Colorado in March 2021.
In-form forward Diego Rubio leads the Rapids in both goals and assists with 10 and six, respectively. His goal and two assists in the win against the Red Bulls marked the Chilean’s sixth consecutive match with either a goal or an assist. Rubio’s 29 career goals for the Rapids are tied with Dominique Badji for sixth-most in club history; he is two goals away from tying Chris Henderson for fifth-most goals in club history (31) and one game-winning goal away from trying Paul Bravo for the most in club history (12).
Tuesday’s victory over the Red Bulls also marked William Yarbrough’s 30th win in goal for the Rapids, moving him to fourth on the club’s all-time list for most wins recorded by a goalkeeper, surpassing Tim Howard and Joe Cannon. Yarbrough is five saves away from tying current teammate Clint Irwin for third-most shutouts in Rapids history and is one shutout away from recording his 25th with the Rapids, which would tie him with Joe Cannon for third-most in club history.
Two ex-Minnesota United players will take to the pitch in Burgundy against their former club on Saturday. Rapids midfielder Collen Warner was drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLS Expansion Draft by the Loons and went on to register a goal and an assist over 42 appearances during his two seasons in Minnesota. Rapids winger Sam Nicholson is also familiar with the Loons after arriving in MLS via Minnesota in 2017, scoring two goals and delivering two assists over 20 appearances prior to being traded to Colorado in 2019 for his first stint in Burgundy.
Saturday could see the Rapids debut of midfielder Felipe Gutiérrez who the club acquired last week from Chilean side C.D. Universidad Católica on loan for the remainder of the 2022 MLS season. The former Sporting Kansas City Designated Player finished the 2019 season as the club’s top scorer and MVP, and was a regular in the Chilean national team, featuring in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and winning the 2015 Copa America. Gutiérrez’s acquisition culminated a transfer window the saw the Rapids also bring in Nicholson for his second stint in Burgundy and Canadian youth international Ralph Priso.
