COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Colorado Rapids 2 (1-6-1, 4 pts) face Whitecaps FC 2 (2-3-2, 10 points) on Sunday, May 19, for the teams’ first meeting of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular season. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. MT (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park.
Colorado enters the match following the team’s fifth consecutive loss of the 2024 season. Last Sunday, Rapids 2 fell to Sporting KC II in a 2-1 contest at Rock Chalk Park. Colorado was first to get on the board in the early minutes of the second half when Facundo Núñez picked up a ball in the midfield and fed it to the feet of Academy striker Noah Strellnauer, marking Núñez’s first assist for Rapids 2. The U-17 player proceeded to send a low, far-post shot into the back of the net for his first professional goal. Kansas City’s Beto Avila responded in 72nd minute with the equalizer and ended the match 10 minutes later with a brace performance.
Defender Steve Flores wore the captain's armband for the first time in the match against Kansas City, leading the team in his third game played in 2024 after coming back from injury.
The upcoming match will mark the Rapids second regular-season match played at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. The last match the team played in the building against LAFC2 ended in a 1-1 draw and saw Marlon Vargas score his third goal of the season within three consecutive matches.
The game against Vancouver will be the teams’ fifth all-time contest in league history. Rapids 2 holds an overall unbeaten record of 2-0-2 against the Whitecaps with their last meeting in 2023 ending in a 6-2 win. The six goal performance marked the most goals Colorado has scored in a single game in its three seasons in MLS NEXT Pro.
The Whitecaps will enter the match off an exciting 4-3 win over LAFC2 at Titan Stadium. The win ended the team’s five match winless streak, which dates back to a 5-3 victory over Real Monarchs during the second week of the MLS NEXT Pro season.
