COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Colorado Rapids 2 (6-11-3, 22 pts.) is set for a long-awaited matchup against Rocky Mountain rivals Real Monarchs (5-11-4, 22 pts.) on Sunday, August 18. Kickoff at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park is set for 6:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The two sides faced each other twice in 2023 with the Rapids claiming six points and only allowing one goal in 180 minutes of play. The most recent game saw Colorado put up a 2-0 clean sheet victory to help boost their standing to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and league overall. First Team players Oliver Larraz and Rémi Cabral were the goal scorers while former goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez helped the team to its sixth clean sheet of the 2023 regular season.
The all-time series between these clubs stands in Colorado’s favor with Rapids 2 holding a 3-0-1 record over the course of three seasons in MLS NEXT Pro.
Following back-to-back wins against Houston Dynamo 2 and Whitecaps FC 2, Colorado will face Salt Lake in the first and only meeting of the 2024 season. With a playoff position on the line, the contest will be a deciding factor in both teams’ abilities to move one spot higher on the Western Conference table.
Despite a slow start to the season, Rapids 2 has managed to pull together nine points in its last four games. Last week at Swangard Stadium, Colorado beat Whitecaps FC 2 in a 1-2 win, which saw Rapids Academy player Rogelio Garcia and captain Marlon Vargas score the two goals of the match. Garcia’s goal marked his second in as many games while Vargas put away his eighth of the season.
On the opposing end of the pitch, Rapids Academy goalkeeper Zackory Campagnolo held it down between the sticks to earn his first road win of the season. The youth national team player made two saves to lead his side to its second consecutive win.
In addition to positive progress on the field, Rapids 2 has also been a key part of the Rapids Academy’s development this summer. In the team’s latest match, 10 academy players traveled to Vancouver with eight of those players making an appearance in the game and four premiering in the starting XI.
As it stands, the academy players have totaled 3,641 minutes of play this year, making up 16 percent of the total player minutes.
