COMMERCE CITY, Colo. ― After Saturday’s thrilling come-from-behind victory, the Colorado Rapids (2-1-1, 7 points) will look to make it three wins in a row when they host Houston Dynamo FC (2-1-2, 8 points) on Saturday, May 15, at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT, with pregame coverage starting on Altitude Sports at 6:30 p.m. and on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM at 6:45 p.m.
“Looking forward to what will be another good game. Houston is playing extremely well. I thought [Houston] looked really good last night [against Sporting KC],” Rapids head coach Robin Fraser said. “They’re a hard-working, industrious team and that should make for an interesting matchup for us because certainly when we’re at our best, I would say the same describes us. Coming off a decent performance in the second half last week, we certainly would like to be able to carry that momentum into this game.”
In its last match, Colorado overcame a two-goal deficit to earn a thrilling 3-2 win over Minnesota United FC. Midfielder Kellyn Acosta opened his 2021 scoring account and got the Rapids on the board with an excellent volley from distance that was nominated for MLS Goal of the Week before midfielder Cole Bassett equalized in the 71st minute. Defender Danny Wilson scored the game-winning goal on a header off captain Jack Price’s free kick delivery in the 82nd minute. Bassett and Wilson were named starters to the MLS Team of the Week in Week 4 for their efforts. for their efforts.
Wilson’s goal was Colorado’s fourth off a set piece (corner kick, indirect free kick, direct free kick) this season. The Rapids have scored on 32 set pieces since 2019, by far the most in MLS. Price has assisted on 16 of those, also a league best. The win over Minnesota was Fraser’s 15th in 30 games, including MLS Cup Playoffs, since taking over as Rapids head coach in late 2019. His 15W-10L-5D record is an all-time best by a Rapids head coach through his first 30 games. A win on Saturday would mark Colorado’s third three-game winning streak under Fraser.
Saturday’s match marked the 27th consecutive match at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park across all competitions in which the Rapids have scored, the longest active home scoring streak in MLS and the longest in club history. The last time Colorado was shut out at home was Oct. 28, 2018.
The Dynamo enter the match on short rest following a 1-0 win at Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday. Despite being outshot, 16-5, goalkeeper Marko Maric posted four saves and forward Maxi Urruti scored the game’s only goal in the 56th minute to seal victory for Houston.
The last time these teams met on Nov. 8, 2020, the Rapids secured a three-game winning streak to close out the 2020 regular season. Midfielder Younes Namli opened the scoring before forward Diego Rubio scored in stoppage time to give Colorado a 2-1 victory. In their only other match in 2020, the Rapids took a season-high 25 shots and defender Lalas Abubakar scored his first goal in Burgundy in stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw on Sept. 9, 2020, at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. Colorado is 4-2-4 in its last 10 matches against Houston.
This is the first of three meetings between Colorado and Houston. The Rapids visit the Dynamo on Aug. 14, before another trip to BBVA Stadium on Oct. 31.
“[In the second half against Minnesota] we played that good tempo, moved the ball well. We need that on Saturday,” Wilson said. “Like I said, we don’t want to start too many games like we did [against Minnesota] at the weekend and give ourselves a mountain to climb. Start on the front foot and hopefully move the ball well and hopefully get some goals and keep it tight at the back.”
News & Notes
- Colorado has scored in 27 consecutive matches across all competitions at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, the longest active home scoring streak in MLS and the longest in club history.
- The next point the Rapids collect will be their 1,000th in MLS all-time.
- The Rapids are unbeaten in their last three matches against Houston (1W-0L-2D) and have only lost twice to the Texan side in their last 10 encounters (4-2-4).
- Colorado scored on two set pieces in Saturday’s come-from-behind victory against Minnesota. M Kellyn Acosta’s long-range volley as the Loons attempted to clear a corner kick brought the Rapids within one. D Danny Wilson scored the game-winning goal on a header off captain Jack Price’s free kick delivery.
- The Rapids lead MLS with 32 set piece goals since the beginning of 2019, by far the most in MLS. D.C. United is second with 24, while the league average is 15. Price leads MLS with 16 assists off restarts in that time.
- M Cole Bassett opened his 2021 scoring account with the equalizer on Saturday against Minnesota. Bassett now has nine goals and seven assists in his MLS career, both of which are tied with D/M Dillon Serna for the most by a Rapids Academy product.
- Bassett and Wilson were named starters to the MLS Team of the Week in Week 4 for their heroics as the Rapids rallied from two goals down to beat Minnesota, 3-2.
- Saturday marks F Diego Rubio’s 28th birthday.
- All week, the Rapids celebrated Soccer for All, an initiative in partnership with MLS to provide an environment where staff, players, partners and fans are treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. The Rapids will also celebrate Pride Night on Saturday.
