The Colorado Rapids are set for their Leagues Cup Semifinals match against fellow MLS side LAFC. Kickoff at BMO Stadium is set for 8:00 p.m. MT (Apple TV—MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 950AM).
These two clubs are no strangers, with Wednesday’s contest being their third across all competitions in 2024. This one will have much higher stakes however, as a spot in the tournament final is on the line.
The Rapids will be facing their first MLS side in this tournament since their first Group Stage match against Portland. Since then, the Rapids have made their way through four top Liga MX sides to get them to this Semifinal match. First was a shootout victory against Club León that sent Colorado to the knockout stage for the first time in the tournament’s two-year history. In the knockout stages, making their way through another three Liga MX sides, including two victories over FC Juárez and Deportivo Toluca F.C followed by a thrilling match against the tournament’s top seed, Club América.
In a match that heavily favored América, who had hosting privileges at Dignity Health Sports Park due to their high rank, the Rapids were ready for any challenge that came their way. The match ended up being a thrilling one, with Colorado putting on a masterclass in defensive play for the entirety of regulation. The back line of Keegan Rosenberry, Andreas Maxsø, Lalas Abubakar, Sam Vines, and Zack Steffen were lockdown for the Rapids, which helped send the match to a shootout to determine who would advance.
The shootout ended up becoming a marathon, going to ten rounds before a winner was decided. With each team only missing one shot in their nine attempts, it came down to the goalkeepers who had kept this match level over the previous 90 minutes. Steffen stepped up for the Rapids and drilled a shot into the center of the net, putting all the pressure on América. Their goalkeeper missed the shot wide left, sending Colorado to this point in the Semifinals.
LAFC has had an impressive run of their own in Leagues Cup play, having earned a result in each match with a goal differential of +11 over five matches. The club made it out of their group that included Vancouver and Tijuana to advance to the knockout stage. They then made their way past Austin, San Jose, and most recently, Seattle.
LA travelled to Seattle to face a Sounders side that had just beaten Pumas convincingly with a 4-0 scoreline. The side proved to be ready for the challenge and put up a solid all-around performance to come out on top, 3-0. Denis Bouanga, Kei Kamara, and Ryan Hollingshead all featured on the scoresheet with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris recording an assist in addition to his clean sheet.
As previously stated, this will be the third matchup between these two sides this season, with already two contests happening in MLS play. Colorado earned a victory in the first meeting, a 3-2 result at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. LA then answered back with a win of their own, coming out on top 3-0 at BMO Stadium.
The winner of Wednesday’s match will earn their spot in the 2024 Leagues Cup Final against either Philadelphia or Columbus. Other than a spot in the Final, the winner secures a spot in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup. The loser will participate in the Third-Place match to determine the third and final spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup that Leagues Cup provides.
