COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Colorado Rapids 2 (14-2-5, 51 pts) will take on LAFC2 (4-12-6, 18 pts) for the team’s final regular season match at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. Kickoff on Saturday, August 19, is set for 7:30 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast through MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Rapids 2 is coming off a win against Tacoma Defiance that saw the team punch its ticket to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. The 3-1 victory over Tacoma marked Rapids 2’s 14th win of the season and allowed Colorado to earn its first-ever playoff berth after coming just short of a spot in the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
Colorado took the pitch last Sunday night at Starfire Sports Stadium looking to hand Tacoma Defiance a loss after falling short to the Washington-based side in the first meeting between the two teams.
The opportunity to take an early lead came in the eighth minute of the match when Rémi Cabral was fouled just outside of the box, giving Colorado its first set piece of the night. As Tacoma set up their wall, Dillon Serna stood over the ball, seeing an opportunity to drive a low shot to the far post to grab the team’s opening goal of the night and his first-ever MLS NEXT Pro goal.
The attacking momentum continued with Yosuke Hanya and Cabral making runs into the box and applying pressure to Tacoma’s backline. In the 23rd minute, Hanya found Cabral on a slanted run into the box, however Cabral’s shot landed just wide of the post. The pair put together a combined seven shots, four on target, throughout the night and each found their opportunity to convert on penalty kicks in the second half.
The Rapids were the first to get on the board in the second half when Hanya was fouled on a run into the box. The Japanese international stood over the penalty and placed it calmly in the back of the net for his 11th goal of the season. Minutes later, Tacoma was able to pull one back to bring the score line to 1-2 heading into the 75th minute.
As the minutes ticked on, Rapids 2 was forced to defend the box as Tacoma found more chances to fire away shots at goal. The backline was able to maintain composure, keeping the home side to one goal on the night.
The final goal of the evening came in stoppage time when Hanya was yet again fouled on a run into the box. This time Cabral stood over the kick from the spot and converted for his tenth goal of the season, placing him in second on the team for goals scored this season.
The three set piece goals helped Colorado to maintain its standing as the top goal scorers in the league with 55 total this season. Heading into the match against LAFC2, Colorado currently sits at the top of the league and the Western Conference with a 14-2-5 record. Having already punched its ticket to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs, Rapids 2 will now turn its focus to maintaining a top position in the Western Conference to earn a first round bye in the playoffs.
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