Rapids II

Preview | Colorado Rapids 2 play midday match against St. Louis CITY2 

Game Preview_1080x1920_v3

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Colorado Rapids 2 (6-13-4, 23 pts.) will face off against St. Louis CITY2 (14-6-3, 46 pts.) for the third and final time this season on Sunday, September 8. Kickoff at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium is set for 3:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

The two sides have already faced each other twice in the 2024 season with both teams having split points so far this season. The first match saw Colorado walk away with a win during its opening match of the MLS NEXT Pro season. The dramatic 2-1 win saw Alec Díaz score his first goal of the season while the second came at the expense of a CITY2 own goal.

The second meeting proved to be a close match with St. Louis earning three points in a 3-2 victory. The game was highlighted by goals from forwards Antony García and Facundo Núñez.

The all-time series between the two clubs stands at a 3-1-2 record in Colorado’s favor with St. Louis having only won a single match over the course of three seasons in the league.

Sunday’s match will prove to be a crucial win for the Rapids as they hang on to very few chances to make this year’s playoffs. St. Louis on the other hand has already punched its ticket to the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. The team has qualified for the playoffs in all three seasons of the league’s existence while Rapids 2 has only made one playoff appearance during its time in MLS NEXT Pro.

Colorado has been putting up a promising run of performances against the top sides in the Western Conference as of late. During its last match against North Texas SC, Colorado held on to a 2-0 scoreline until the 83rd minute of the match.

The scoring kicked off in the 29th minute when the First Team duo of Sebastian Anderson and Wayne Frederick combined on a free kick opportunity for the opening goal of the night. The goal marked Frederick’s first regular-season goal since joining the organization as a MLS SuperDraft pick at the beginning of the 2024 season.

The second goal came off the foot of midfielder Robinson Aguirre in the 62nd minute off a mistake from goalkeeper Antonio Carrera. The keeper attempted to play a ball up field but Anderson was there at the midfield to read the play and send it forward to an open Noah Strellnauer. Strellnauer fed the ball to captain Marlon Vargas who centered a short pass to Aguirre who took it on a one-time finish. The goal marked Aguirre’s first of the season while Vargas added his sixth assist.

North Texas SC was ultimately able to pull two goals back in the final ten minutes of the match, sending both sides to a shootout. The home side went on to earn the extra point in a 5-4 shootout result, sending the Rapids home with a single point in hand.