Colorado Rapids 2 (6-17-4, 29 pts.) will suit up for one last time this season to face off against Portland Timbers2 (7-10-10, 35 pts) on Sunday, October 6. Kickoff at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium is set for 2:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Decision Day matchups are set and the Rapids will face off one last time against Timbers2 to try to secure a final three points on the season. In the teams’ previous meeting this year at Providence Park, the home side took home the victory in a 2-0 result. Portland forward Nathan Fogaça netted a brace while goalkeeper Trey Muse made six saves to log his first clean sheet of 2024.
The all-time series between the two sides stands at 3-2-0 in Colorado’s favor. A win on Sunday could even the score for Portland, bringing the clubs to an equal 3-3-0 record across three seasons.
While Colorado is officially out of contention for the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs, Timbers2 will need to secure a win alongside a few favorable results throughout the league to punch their ticket to a postseason berth.
The Rapids have faced a tough string of results during the last month, having only earned a single point in its last five matches. Last week, Colorado faced MNUFC2 in a 1-0 battle that saw two Rapids’ players receive red cards, forcing the team to play with nine men. The first came in the 37th minute while the second came in the dying minutes of the match.
Despite holding Minnesota scoreless for a full 90 minutes, a foul in the box earned the home team a penalty kick that ultimately cemented the result on the night.
Portland enters Sunday’s match on the heels of a 2-0 loss to Real Monarchs. The Monarchs shutout Timbers2, handing Portland its seventh scoreless match of the season.
The last game of the season will see Rapids 2 without Nate Jones after the defender received a red card on a tactical foul in the previous match. The team will likely field a number of Rapids Academy players who have consistently featured for the MLS NEXT Pro side this season, making up a large portion of the team’s total minutes.
