COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Colorado Rapids 2 (1-1-0, 3 points) will face off against LAFC2 (2-0-0, 6 pts) in the team’s 2024 home opener. Kickoff at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park is set for 6:00 p.m. MT (Apple TV – MLS Season Pass) on Sunday, March 31.
Rapids 2 opened their 2024 campaign with two road matches against St. Louis CITY2 and Tacoma Defiance. The season opener saw Colorado defeat St. Louis on their home field in a 2-1 victory. Midfielder Marlon Vargas kick started the season with the team’s first goal of 2024 and was assisted by longtime teammate Alec Díaz. The game-winning goal came as a result of an own goal from the home side, giving Colorado its first three points of the season.
Following a positive road result, Rapids 2 traveled to Tukwila, Washington, where they played Tacoma who was coming off a big win against defending MLS NEXT Pro champions, Austin FC II. The match started off strong in Tacoma’s favor with midfielder Georgi Minoungou scoring the first goal of the night in the 13th minute. The second goal for Tacoma came in the 35th minute off the foot of Faysal Bettache. It was Vargas again who gave Rapids 2 its first goal in back-to-back matches, netting his second of the season in stoppage time of the first half and reigniting the team’s hope of an equalizer.
Tacoma was able to seal the deal in the second half with a brace performance from Bettache and a fourth and final goal from Yu Tsukanome. Rapids 2 had one more goal in them, which came off the head of defender Joshua Belluz on a corner kick service from Robinson Aguirre. The goal marked Belluz’s first-ever MLS NEXT Pro goal and his second of the week after scoring the opening goal for Rapids 2 in the First Round of the U.S. Open Cup.
LAFC2 has put up two winning performances to start the 2024 season with a 4-1 result over MNUFC2 and a 3-2 victory against Dynamo 2. Los Angeles is currently tied with Tacoma for the most goals in the league with seven in two matches and sits at the top of the Western Conference standings as one of three teams with a perfect 2-0-0 record. Newcomer Luis Müller currently leads the squad with three goals so far this season.
Colorado holds the record against LAFC2 in the two sides’ all-time series, leading Los Angeles 2-0-0. Both of their matchups during the 2023 season saw Colorado keepers, including Homegrown Player Adam Beaudry, retain clean sheets.
Fans can purchase tickets to the team’s home opener at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park here.
