The Rapids fought to a 1-1 draw against Querétaro F.C. in their second preseason match in 2025 as they prepare for the MLS regular season. After being on the right end of a Querétaro turnover, Rafael Navarro scored the lone goal for the club in the 21st minute.
In a match that had 120 minutes total, with two halves of 60 minutes each and a break every 30 minutes, plenty of players on the Rapids roster were able to see a large chunk of playing time. Starters for the match included familiar faces from last season in Navarro, Djordje Mihailovic, Calvin Harris, Cole Bassett, Andreas Maxsø, Reggie Cannon, and Zack Steffen, fresh off his Man of the Match performance with the U.S. Men’s National Team on January 22.
Colorado put the pressure on early and created chances in the attacking end with the help of their strong defensive play. The opposition maintained little to no possession in the early goings, as the Rapids high press suffocated the Liga MX side any time they touched the ball. That press made a direct impact on what would eventually be the match’s opening goal.
With Querétaro playing out of the back, Colorado made sure that they had very little room to work with. Harris started the pressure deep in opposing territory, leading to a misplay on a pass back to their goalkeeper. The beneficiary of the errant pass was Navarro, who calmly finished the ball to take the lead early on.
Despite no other scoring from the Rapids in the first half, the squad created multiple high-quality chances. Mihailovic and Bassett linked up twice, once from a free kick and the other from open play, with both resulting in a shot on goal. With the attack showing signs of promise, the back line stood strong and did not allow a single shot on goal during their shift.
The teams then went into the halftime break after 60 minutes, with a brand-new squad coming out for Colorado. Oliver Larraz, Connor Ronan, Keegan Rosenberry, and Jackson Travis highlighted the group from the returning players that joined new faces out on the pitch. Newly contracted players for 2025 in the second half squad included Alex Harris, Sam Bassett, Chidozie Awaziem, Daouda Amadou, and Sydney Wathuta.
Colorado continued their strong defensive play throughout the half, but it would be the hosting side who would level the match to close out the scoring. Querétaro capitalized on their best opportunity of the match in front of net to equal things in the match’s final moments.
The Rapids will round out their first preseason stint with one more match in Mexico before returning to Colorado. The team’s next closed-door matchup with La Paz is slated for 10:00 a.m. MT on Friday, January 31.
Final Score
Colorado Rapids - 1
Querétaro F.C. - 1
Lineups
First Half:
Zack Steffen, Anderson Rosa, Ian Murphy, Andreas Maxsø, Reggie Cannon, Cole Bassett (Sam Bassett 45’), Wayne Frederick, Noah Strellnauer, Djordje Mihailovic (Alex Harris 30’), Calvin Harris, Rafael Navarro
Second Half:
Adam Beaudry, Jackson Travis, Chidozie Awaziem, Daniel Chacón, Keegan Rosenberry, Oliver Larraz, Connor Ronan, Kimani Stewart-Baynes, Sam Bassett, Daouda Amadou, Alex Harris (Sydney Wathuta 90’)