COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Colorado Rapids 2 (7-0-1, 22 pts) will face off against North Texas SC (4-4-1, 13 pts) at Choctaw Stadium after the team’s first bye week of the season. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast through MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Rapids 2 is coming off its most challenging match of the year against Austin FC II, which saw the team hand Austin its first loss of the season in a 1-0 victory at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Colorado’s seventh win of the year marked the team’s second consecutive clean sheet with Academy player Adam Beaudry in goal. Midfielder Marlon Vargas was the lone goal scorer of the night, earning his second of the season after he scored in back-to-back matches against LA Galaxy II and Austin.
Colorado now remains the only team in the league with an unbeaten record heading into week 10 of the MLS NEXT Pro season. Rapids 2 sits at the top of the league’s standings with 22 points, tying them with Crown Legacy FC in points but besting the Charlotte-based side in goal differential.
During the team’s bye week, midfielder Yosuke Hanya reached the peak of his soccer career thus far, earning his first-ever MLS minutes. The Japanese midfielder has been called into the Colorado Rapids first team on three occasions in the past two weeks. On May 17, he made his official MLS debut in the team’s match versus Atlanta United, playing three minutes for Colorado in its 4-0 loss.
Colorado heads into its first midweek match of the season in search of keeping their unbeaten streak alive.
The first meeting between the Rapids and North Texas SC was highlighted by a comeback performance that saw the team overcome a two-goal deficit to capture a 4-2 win. Defender Blake Malone kicked off the goal scoring momentum in the 57th minute, followed shortly after by an equalizer goal from Hanya. Midfielder Oliver Larraz gave the Rapids its game-winning goal in the 64th minute of the match, while defender Logan Batiste sealed the deal with the fourth and final goal of the night.
Rapids 2 will have their work cut out for them in week 10 with two matches on the week. Following the team’s match against North Texas SC, Colorado will travel to Minnesota to take on MNUFC2 on Sunday, May 28, for the first time this season. Both road matches will be streamed via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
