Rapids 2 (1-2-1, 5 pts) will journey to Texas this weekend to take on league leaders Houston Dynamo 2 (5-1-0, 15 pts) on Sunday, May 8 in the team’s third road match of the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season. Kickoff at the AVEVA Stadium is set for 7:15 p.m. MT and the match will be broadcast on www.mlsnextpro.com.
“As always, I am excited for matchday to come. Another difficult road trip is what’s expected and we know that Dynamo is going to be a difficult opponent. They are a team that can get success and hurt you in different ways and they have the technical ability to play soccer. They have the athleticism if they choose to go a little bit bigger, so we have to be prepared for both. So, it is an excellent challenge and that is why we are here,” said Rapids 2 head coach Erik Bushey.
The Rapids 2 side is coming off of the heels of its first win of the season, collecting three points in a 3-1 victory over Timbers2. The team’s 90 minutes on the pitch saw first team loans Collen Warner and Darren Yapi score their first goals of the season while midfielder Yosuke Hanya collected the title of top goal scorer for Rapids 2 as he netted the opening goal of the match. An assist-hungry Jackson Travis also claimed a spot on the Rapids 2 leaderboard after adding two assists during the team’s win over Timbers2.
As it stands, the Rapids have recorded two losses on the road and one draw and one win on their home field at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. With the recent additions of defender Blake Malone and midfielder Daouda Amadou to the Colorado roster, the team aims to build out its back line and add support to the attacking third in their pursuit for more three point matches. .
“Coming off of the win we have that momentum and everyone in the locker room is hyped for this game because we know we are going to a physical side. We know how sweet winning is from the last game so we are ready for the game,” said Rapids 2 midfielder Philip Mayaka.
Returning to the team this week is midfielder Robinson Aguirre who has spent the last few games on the road with the El Salvador national team. Aguirre appeared in two games for La Selecta in their friendlies against Guatemala and Panama, adding national team selection and start to his resume. The Rapids 2 staple is likely to record some minutes in this weekend’s match as the team takes on an attack-heavy Dynamo 2.
The home side of Dynamo 2 will host Rapids 2 this Sunday following its first loss of the 2022 season to Tacoma Defiance. Dynamo 2 currently sits at the top of the league’s standings with 15 points to their name. In addition, the Houston club houses the second-highest goal scorer in the league in forward Roberto Avila, who has netted five goals this season. The team will likely maintain their attack forward presence on the pitch in this Sunday’s match as they look to hold down the top of the table heading into their seventh match of the season.
To view the full Rapids 2 schedule for the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season, click here.
