COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids (3-10-8, 17 pts) host the Portland Timbers (5-9-7, 22 pts) at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park this Wednesday, July 12, for the resumption of their July 4th match that was postponed at halftime due to inclement weather. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. MT (Apple TV – MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM).
Wednesday night’s game will consist of a single, 45-minute half after the original encounter between Colorado and Portland was called right as the two teams entered the halftime break. It was the second postponement due to inclement weather in the past three weeks for the Rapids, after their June 21 home match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC was called off before kickoff. That match will now take place on September 27.
The Rapids host Portland again after a 2-1, come-from-behind win at home over FC Dallas on Saturday, ending a nine-game winless streak in league play. FC Dallas defender Sam Junqua scored the opening goal in the 18th minute with a strike from inside the box that deflected into the net. However, Rapids defender Andreas Maxsø quickly responded by heading in a corner kick from midfielder Connor Ronan to level the game in the 31st minute. The goal was Maxsø's first in Burgundy goal, while Ronan reached seven assists on the season, tying him for the 11th most in the league. In the second half, midfielder Braian Galván sealed the victory for the Rapids in emphatic fashion with a Panenka penalty kick. Maxsø's performance earned him a place in the Team of the Matchday for his contributions to the victory over Dallas.
Defender Andrew Gutman made his debut for the Rapids and played the full 90 minutes in the game against Dallas last Saturday. However, Gutman will be ineligible for selection on Wednesday, as the match must recommence with the same players on the field and the same listed subs that existed when the original game was called off. If a player on the matchday roster of the original encounter becomes injured or unavailable prior to the recommenced game, he may be replaced with a player who was on the active roster on July 4; if the player was a starter on that date, the team would have to use one of its allotted substitutions on the change.
With no game between the July 4 postponement and the continuation on July 12, the last full match the Timbers played was on July 1, a 4-1 loss to Minnesota United. After conceding two goals on the cusp of halftime, Franck Boli put Portland back in the game with a 60th-minute strike, but Minnesota added two more goals to secure the win. With his six goals this season, Boli has been the primary goal scorer for Portland, alongside Evander, who account for the team's last eight league goals. Notably, the Timbers have nine different players who have provided multiple assists this season, with midfielders Santiago Moreno and Diego Chara leading the team with six and four assists, respectively. Portland has struggled on the road, however, recording only one win (1-6-5) and being outscored 21-9 away from home.
Since their inception in 2011, the Timbers have faced the Rapids 27 times all time, slightly leading the series with a 11-10-6 regular-season record. Historically, both teams have had more success playing at home, with only two home losses for each club; the Rapids boast a record of 8-2-4 at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park when hosting the Timbers.
