Rapids 2 (5-9-4, 22 pts) will face off against Houston Dynamo 2 (11-3-4, 39 pts) at AVEVA Stadium for the second time this season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast on mlsnextpro.com.
“We are anxious to have another go at Dynamo and again, we know it is going to be a very difficult match,” said Erik Bushey, Rapids 2 head coach. “They are a very good side that has had a lot of success this season. For us, that is exciting. It will be a good game and for us, hopefully another opportunity to show signs of our growth and progress.”
Colorado will hit the road this week after playing its last four matches at home. The team is coming off of a big shootout victory over MNUFC2, which saw Rapids 2 put away all five of its penalty kicks to secure the extra point in a 5-4 win.
The Saturday night doubleheader was one for the books as both teams ended regulation in a 3-3 draw well after midnight. Striker Dantouma “Yaya” Toure earned his eighth goal of the season during the match while Darren Yapi recorded his fifth of the year and Yosuke Hanya notched his fourth of the season. Highlighting the match was a performance from goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez who made a huge save in the shootout to give Colorado the edge it needed to take home two points on the night.
Colorado has now accumulated seven points in its last three matches with two shootout victories and a 2-1 win over Earthquakes II. The team has made extreme progress in the second half of the season, earning more than half of its season points in the last six matches. The Rapids attack has also managed to record 13 goals in the second half of its season, six of which were scored by leading goal scorer Toure.
“Right now, the team is way different than at the beginning of the season,” said midfielder Anthony Markanich. “I think we are starting to figure each other out in terms of personalities and how one wants to play compared to the other one. I think everything is coming together. We are playing as a team and we have a lot of chemistry now.”
The Rapids will now look to extend their recent win streak as they take on Houston Dynamo 2 for the second time this season. The last time these two sides met, the Rapids held it down in the defensive half, only allowing two goals from top of the table contenders Dynamo 2. With only six matches left in the season, Colorado’s focus will remain on continued growth and progress as they round out the season with head coach Erik Bushey at the helm.
“We worked through some very difficult stretches,”said Bushey. “The players have been able to gain some results, earn some results and now, it is a reasonable expectation for us to come out on any given day and win. For me, that is probably the biggest sign of growth in and of itself.”
Tune into this weekend’s match on mlsnextpro.com. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT at AVEVA Stadium.
