COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids (8-10-8, 32 pts) will head to Subaru Park to take on Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union (14-4-9, 51 pts) on Saturday, August 27 (5:30 p.m. MT; Altitude Sports, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM).
Saturday’s match will kick off a three-game road stand for the Rapids while marking their first encounter against the Union since May 29, 2019, a 1-1 draw at Subaru Park. The Rapids have only lost twice against the Union since the two clubs faced off for the first time on August 14, 2010, with Colorado outscoring Philadelphia 20-14 in that span.
Robin Fraser’s side are coming off a 1-1 draw against Houston Dynamo FC, a result that extended the Rapids’ unbeaten streak at home to five matches. Recently acquired midfielder Felipe Gutierrez recorded his first assist in Burgundy when he lofted the ball right into the far post for Lalas Abubakar, who beat his defender to neatly slot the ball past Steve Clark. The Ghanian defender has now found the back of the net four times this season, adding to his new regular-season career high. With Abubakar’s goal, the Rapids have now scored in each of their last ten games, their longest run of consecutive games finding the back of the net this season.
Diego Rubio leads the Rapids with 12 goals and six assists this season, a new single-season career high in MLS that’s surpassed his previous high of 11 goals and five assists that he set in 2019. The Chilean is now one goal away from passing Chris Henderson for the fifth-most goals scored all-time in Rapids history (31) and one game-winning goal away from tying former Rapids midfielder Paul Bravo for most in club history (12).
Rapids defender Keegan Rosenberry will be returning to his roots and potentially record his second appearance against his former club since joining the Rapids in December of 2018. A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Rosenberry was a product of the Union’s youth academy and made his MLS debut with their senior side in 2016. He was the only outfield player in the league that year to play every minute of the season. In all, Rosenberry featured 80 times for Philadelphia, logging three goals and five assists across his three seasons with the Eastern Conference club.
Philadelphia host the Rapids following a 6-0 win on the road against D.C. United on Saturday, marking the third win by at least six goals in their club history. All three Union victories by six or more goals have come in their last nine matches. Hungarian midfielder Dániel Gazdag leads the Union’s attack with 13 goals in his 2022 account, with five of those goals game-winners, second-most in MLS. Argentine forward Julian Carranza leads the league with two hat tricks this season, while German defender Kai Wagner has delivered a team-leading 11 assists for the Union, fifth-most in MLS. Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake has recorded 11 shutouts this season, the second-most in MLS this season, while posting a league-leading goals against average of 0.74.
