Preview | Rapids eye three points at home against Houston Dynamo

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids (3-10-9, 18 pts) host Houston Dynamo FC (8-10-4, 28 pts) at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park this Saturday, July 15, for Matchday 26 (7:30 p.m. MT; Apple TV – MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM). 

Colorado enter Saturday’s game after an unusual midweek clash against the Portland Timbers on Wednesday, a continuation of the July 4th game between the two clubs that was postponed at halftime due to inclement weather. The 45-minute affair ended in a scoreless draw with goalkeeper William Yarbrough recording his 100th appearance as a member of the Rapids, tying Tim Howard for third-most starts and appearances by a goalkeeper in club history. The scoreless bout also marked the seventh clean sheet for the club, currently the sixth-highest mark in the league. Wednesday’s draw followed a 2-1 win against FC Dallas last Saturday where Rapids defender Andreas Maxsø recorded his first goal of his MLS career and midfielder Braian Galván converted a game-winning, Panenka penalty for his first goal since returning from an ACL injury sustained last year.

“If you score a goal, you feel like you’ve made the ultimate contribution to your team,” Rapids head coach Robin Fraser said. “And I think for both guys, it was huge for their confidence. Maxsø’s very good in the air, very good for him to score, and Braian, who is a crafty type of player, it’s great for him to score a goal. Took his penalty kick obviously very well and very confidently. I think all these things only continue to boost their confidence.”

Last Saturday’s game against Dallas also marked defender Andrew Gutman’s Rapids debut after the club acquired him in the secondary transfer window. The 26-year-old fullback played the full 90 minutes against the Texas club, but was ineligible for selection in Wednesday’s continuation match as he was not on the active roster during the original date. He will be available for selection for Saturday’s game against Houston.

Houston had a strong start to the month of June, recording a three-game win streak and a 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarter-Final win, but have struggled to maintain form towards the end of the month onward. In their most recent game, Houston lost to Minnesota United FC 3-0, the eighth time the club has been shutout this season. Houston could not overcome an early two-goal deficit scored within the first 20 minutes and ultimately lost the game by three goals, extending their winless streak to four (0-3-1). The Texas club travels to Colorado after struggling on the road all year, only managing one road win, a 1-0 victory against a 10-man LAFC team, through 11 away matches. The club has been outscored 23-7 goals on the road and have been held scoreless in five of their away matches. Midfielder Amine Bassi leads the team with eight goals, while team captain Héctor Herrera is tied for fourth-most assists in the league with nine. 

“They’re a very talented team,” Fraser said. “They have some really, really good players, some good passers, guys who run behind, good pace, good strength. They’re a team that’s certainly a good team, and with the number of good players they have, whatever their form on the road has been, it doesn’t really matter. At the end of the day, they’re good players and a good team, well organized, and for us, we’re going to need to be sharp.”

The Rapids and Houston have faced each other 37 times since Houston joined MLS in 2005, with the former having the upper hand in the series (15-10-12). Colorado has had success at home with a 9-4-6 record against Houston and only one loss at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park since 2009. The club is currently on a six-game unbeaten streak against the Texas club, winning four of the last six matches. 

On Saturday, the Rapids will also honor the men and women who have served the U.S. with Military Appreciation Night. The club will partner with UCHealth to recognize patient and Army veteran Justin Verhulst at halftime. Verhulst is a mental health advocate for veterans with PTSD and works with former service members to get reacclimated to civilian life. Halftime will also feature 60 members from all branches in a swear-in ceremony on the pitch. Additionally, the club will host activations from the various military branches, representing the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, National Guard and Coast Guard.