COMMERCE CITY, COLO. (Oct. 22, 2020) - The Colorado Rapids (5-4-4, 19 points) return to action on Saturday, Oct. 24, when they visit Sporting Kansas City (9-6-3, 30 points). Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. MT at Children’s Mercy Park.
Saturday’s match will be the Rapids’ first in a month following safety precautions due to COVID-19.
“It’ll be certainly exciting to be playing games again. It’s been a long stretch for us, obviously several interruptions,” Rapids head coach Robin Fraser said. “Games at Kansas City are always tough. They’re a very good team, very well organized and they play very well at home. For us it’s just a matter of trying to get into a rhythm as quickly as possible.”
The Rapids enter the match on a two-game winning streak. Colorado shutout the LA Galaxy, 2-0, on Sept. 19 before a dominant 5-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 23. 19-year-old Homegrown Cole Bassett had a goal and an assist, while Jonathan Lewis, Nicolás Mezquida and Andre Shinyashiki also scored. Defender Jack Price picked up two assists, and Kellyn Acosta and Auston Trusty added helpers as well. Goalkeeper William Yarbrough made four saves to earn his third consecutive clean sheet.
Colorado’s 5-0 win matched the largest margin of victory in club history, set in a 5-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Sept. 12.
Bassett, a Littleton native, and fellow Homegrown Sam Vines, of Colorado Springs, were named to MLS 22 Under 22 this week. Bassett is tied with Price for the team lead with four assists to go with his four goals, while Vines has played every minute for the Rapids this season. Lewis leads the team with five goals.
Sporting enters the match following a 2-2 draw at the Chicago Fire on Saturday. Eric Hurtado and Gadi Kinda scored, but Chicago’s Djordje Mihailovic equalized on the game’s last play. Johnny Russell leads the team with six goals and four assists, and Alan Pulido has five goals and four assists.
This is the third meeting of the season between these teams. Sporting won a closely contested match at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, Fla., and the teams drew, 1-1, at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Aug. 29.
Saturday’s match will be broadcast on Altitude and can be streamed on MLS LIVE on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.
Colorado faces heavy slate of five games in 16 days to close out the regular season. The Rapids visit Minnesota United on Wednesday, Oct. 28, before returning to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Sunday, Nov. 1, to host the Seattle Sounders.
