COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Following a three-game road stand, the Colorado Rapids (2-3-6, 12 pts) will return home this Saturday, May 13, to host last year’s MLS Cup Runners-Up, the Philadelphia Union (4-4-2, 14 pts), at DICK’S Sporting Good Park for Matchday 12 (7:30 p.m. MT; Apple TV – MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM).
The Rapids enter Saturday’s match on a nine-game unbeaten streak (4-0-5) across all competitions after earning a 4-2 win against USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC in the Round of 32 of the 2023 U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday. Jonathan Lewis continued his recent run of form, scoring his fourth goal in as many appearances, while Michael Edwards and Danny Levya scored and assisted, respectively, in their first starts for the club. Sam Nicholson scored the game-winner and Michael Barrios rounded out the scoring as the Rapids advanced to the tournament’s Round of 16 for the first time since 2017.
Colorado’s Open Cup victory followed a 3-1 win on Saturday against the LA Galaxy in league play that saw midfielder Connor Ronan command the offense as he assisted each of the Rapids’ goals. His performance marked the first time since 2019 that a Rapids player recorded three assists in a match (Jack Price). Defender Lalas Abubakar scored his first goal of the season off a first-half corner kick, while Kévin Cabral scored the eventual game-winning goal in his first match against his former team. Jonathan Lewis added a third goal that ensured all three points.
Rapids forward Diego Rubio delivered an assist on Cabral’s game-winning goal, his 25th career assist with the Rapids, which surpassed Adrian Paz for seventh-most assists in club history. It was also his 61st goal contribution (34 goals, 27 assists) across all competitions with the club, tying Paul Bravo for fourth-most in club history. The Chilean international now joins Omar Cummings (39 goals, 27 assists) as the only players in club history with at least 35 goals and 25 assists in regular season play.
Philadelphia is coming off a 3-3 shootout loss to Minnesota United FC in their midweek Open Cup match. Three players account for the bulk of the Union’s goals in 2023: forward Mikael Uhre—a former teammate of Rapids defender Andreas Maxsø at Brøndby IF—leads the team with five goals, tied for fifth-most in MLS, forward Julián Carranza has scored three and midfielder Dániel Gazdag has logged four goals and leads MLS with seven assists. The Union will be without two Homegrown Players on Saturday, Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Craig, who along with Jack McGlynn, were all named to the U.S. U-20 Men’s Youth National Team ahead of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. McGlynn, however, will be available for the match against the Rapids after reaching an agreement with U.S. Soccer to join the national team following Saturday’s match.
Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough recently set a new record for most shutouts in club history. He recorded his 30th clean sheet against Vancouver Whitecaps FC, surpassing 2010 MLS Cup-winning goalkeeper Matt Pickens. After the win against LA Galaxy, the 34-year-old goalkeeper tallied his 36th win with the Rapids, which surpassed Clint Irwin for third-most wins by a goalkeeper in club history. Yarbrough recently passed Joe Cannon for the fourth-most appearances by a Rapids goalkeeper all-time and is currently seventh in MLS in total saves this season with 33.
Saturday’s match will also be the Rapids’ ‘Superhero Night,’ which honors teachers, nurses, public safety staff and firefighters as part of the club’s initiatives for Teacher Appreciation Week and Nurse Appreciation Week. Teachers, nurses and public safety staff will receive complimentary tickets to the game, while fans will also be able to attend a Public Safety Festival before the match featuring a “Guns vs. Hoses” soccer game between police and firefighters. Fans can support the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation and the Colorado Fallen Hero Foundation by purchasing a ticket pack, including one ticket to the Rapids game, a donation, and the first 150 purchasers will receive a Colorado Rapids collectors challenge coin.
