Colorado Rapids 2 – 3, Sporting KC II - 0
MLS NEXT Pro Match Week 8 | Sunday, April 27, 2025
University of Denver Soccer Stadium, Denver, Colorado
The Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (4-2-1, 13 pts.) defeated a winless Sporting KC II (0-6-2, 2 pts.) in a 3-0 result on Sunday afternoon at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Goals from first team players Kimani Stewart-Baynes, Michael Edwards and Alex Harris were the difference makers in a clean sheet match for Colorado.
Colorado started the first half strong holding a large majority of possession and creating multiple chances in behind the Sporting KC II’s defense. It was ultimately Rapids 2 that opened the scoring after a strong team press, which led to midfielder Wayne Frederick winning the ball back at the top of the 18. Homegrown midfielder Bassett picked up the ball and passed to Harris who found himself with space in the penalty spot. Harris let the defenders collapse around him before finding a darting Stewart-Baynes whose one touch finish found the far side of the net to make the score 1-0 to Colorado in the 17th minute. Stewart-Baynes' goal marked his third of the season, tying him with Rapids Academy’s Colton Swan for the team lead.
Ten minutes later, Edwards added a second goal in the 27th minute. Rapids 2 won a corner kick, which Bassett swung in from the left and found the cushioned head of Edwards for his first goal of the season.
With his second assist on the day, Bassett is up to four on the season making him the Rapids 2 assist leader so far in 2025. Bassett’s performance picked up where he left off in his first return to The University of Denver Soccer Stadium since his tenure at the school for the past four seasons. In 2024 with the Pioneers, Bassett’s 13 assists set a single-season record and earned himself a finalist nomination for the 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s most prestigious individual award.
The halftime whistle blew with the score at 2-0 in favor of Colorado.
At the start of the second half the Rapids maintained the advantage in possession, but SKC II were developing more of a threat on the counter-attack forcing goalkeeper Zackory Campagnolo to make multiple strong saves.
The half called for the substitution of Malik Pinto who immediately came on and made a difference, winning a ball in the middle-third of the pitch before getting fouled. Fellow substitute Mamadou Billo Diop picked up the ball as the referee played advantage to the Rapids and fired a shot from outside the box which ricocheted off the left post. The ball rebounded directly to Harris who turned a defender and fizzed the ball into the far corner to make it 3-0 to the Rapids in the 83rd minute. The goal was Harris’ first of his professional career.
With time winding down, Campagnolo made a diving save to his right preserving the teams’ clean sheet. Coming off his first appearance on the bench for the Rapids first team the night prior, Campagnolo set his season-high for saves with six, helping Rapids 2 to their second clean sheet.
Rapids 2 play next on Sunday, May 4, against LAFC2 at Titan Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled at 8:00 p.m. MT with coverage on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Scoring Summary:
COL – Kimani Stewart-Baynes (Sam Bassett, Alex Harris) 17’
COL – Michael Edwards (Sam Bassett) 27’
COL – Alex Harris 83’
Notables:
Game Stats
- F Kimani Stewart-Baynes scored his third goal of the season for Rapids 2, tying him with Colton Swan for the team lead in goals.
- D Michael Edwards netted his first goal of 2025 in the 27th minute off of a corner kick service.
- F Alex Harris scored his first professional goal in the 83rd minute of the match. Harris also added an assist, his second of the season, on Stewart-Baynes' 17th minute goal.
- M Sam Bassett recorded a secondary assist on Stewart-Baynes' goal and delivered a corner kick service to Edwards, bringing his total to four assists to lead the team.
- M Wayne Frederick made his first appearance for Rapids 2 this season in today’s match against Kansas City.
- Colorado Rapids 2 recorded their second clean sheet of the season with Zackory Campagnolo in goal.
