COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Colorado Rapids 2 (4-0-0, 12 pts) maintained its perfect record after defeating Earthquakes II in a 2-0 victory last weekend in San Jose. The team will return home this week to play its first match at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium against St. Louis CITY2 (0-3-1, 1 pt) on Sunday, April 23. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast through MLSNEXTPro.com.
“We are still building on who we are and who we want to be,” said Erik Bushey, Rapids 2 head coach. “We are super pleased with the fact that we kept a clean sheet on the weekend, but it was a struggle to do so. We were under a lot of pressure from San Jose, so we gained some very good experience in terms of defending our half. I think there are ways we can be more aggressive, even if we are defending closer to our goal. There is a continued emphasis on how we defend as a team and as a collective and how that translates into attack. We are trying to build on those foundational pieces heading into the weekend.”
Last weekend’s win over San Jose saw Rapids 2 jump to the top of the league’s standings with a perfect 4-0-0 record. The Rapids are the only team in the league with an undefeated record heading into week five, also marking their longest unbeaten streak in club history.
The match against Earthquakes II was highlighted by the team’s first clean sheet of the season. First team goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez went down with an injury in the 30th minute of the match, opening the door for Academy goalkeeper Diego Gurrola to earn his first minutes in a professional match. The 15-year-old goalkeeper went on to make four saves, giving the team the edge they needed to collect their fourth win of the season.
As the team progresses into week five, midfielder Yosuke Hanya continues to impress in the attacking third. Hanya recorded his fourth goal of the season in the match against San Jose, earning him a spot at the top of the league’s scoring charts. The Japanese international has been a crucial component of the team’s attack, having scored in every match for Rapids 2 so far this season.
Joining Hanya on the scoring charts against San Jose was forward Pariss Mitchell. Mitchell opened the scoring for the night in the 50th minute off a header assist from Jackson Travis. The goal marked Mitchell’s first for the club and his first-ever professional goal of his career.
The Rapids face off against St. Louis this weekend as the away side continues its search for its first win. CITY2 currently holds a 0-3-1 record with its most recent loss coming at the hands of Austin FC II. Having only scored three goals this season, St. Louis will need to find the momentum to beat a Rapids defense who has only given up four goals to date.
To purchase tickets to this weekend’s match against St. Louis CITY2, visit www.denverpioneers.evenue.net.
