COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Colorado Rapids 2 (10-1-3, 35 pts) will hit the road this week for its first of four road matches in July to take on St. Louis CITY2 (4-6-6, 23 pts) on Sunday, July 2. Kickoff at CITYPARK is set for 5 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast through MLSNEXTPro.com.
Last weekend’s match saw Rapids 2 earn its 10th win of the season in a 5-1 victory over LA Galaxy II. The three points came after Colorado’s first loss of the season against Tacoma Defiance. The high-scoring game saw four different players put balls in the back of the net and included a two goal performance from first team forward Calvin Harris.
The match started off with an early goal from LA Galaxy II’s Juan Calderón in the 11th minute. However, Rapids 2 was quick to respond with back-to-back goals from Harris in the 19th and 24th minutes, bringing his season total to four goals.
The second half got off to a slow start with both teams racing to find the back of the net. It was midfielder Oliver Larraz who finally broke open the second half in the 71st minute with a goal from far outside the box.
The momentum continued with Marlon Vargas adding the team’s fourth in the 83rd minute off of a rebound shot from Harris. Vargas was a standout during the Sunday night match as he also added an assist on the night to bring his season total to five. His fifth assist tied him with teammate Larraz and three other MLS NEXT Pro players for the league’s lead in assists this season.
The fifth and final goal of the night came at the foot of midfielder Robinson Aguirre who added to his offensive stats for the first time this season during the game against LA Galaxy II. In addition, Aguirre notably added two assists during the match.
Heading into the weekend, Rapids 2 boasts a new title as the MLS NEXT Pro Mid-Season Team of the Year. The accomplishment marks one of many this season for Colorado, including a 12-game unbeaten streak that claimed a spot in the league’s history books. The players and staff have also earned themselves many accolades this year with goalkeeper Adam Beaudry being named MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month for May and head coach Erik Bushey and midfielder Yosuke Hanya earning Coach and Player of the Month for April.
Rapids 2 has yet to drop a game on the road with a 5-0-1 away record. As the team gets ready to step on the pitch at CITYPARK, they will look to redeem themselves from their first meeting with the St. Louis side. CITY2 is the only team that has been able to hold Rapids 2 scoreless throughout 90 minutes of play. The 0-0 draw against CITY2 forced Colorado to compete in its first MLS NEXT Pro shootout of the year on April 23. Rapids 2 ultimately fell short to St. Louis in the shootout only earning a single point on the night.
