COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – With their victory over Minnesota United FC 2 in the Western Conference Final last night, Colorado Rapids 2 have advanced to their first MLS NEXT Pro Cup in club history. Colorado is slated to face New York Red Bulls II in the league final on Saturday, November 8, at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. Kickoff for the match is set for 5:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
It was a long road to get to this point, with Colorado facing tough competition at every level on their way to this year's Cup final. First up in the conference quarterfinal was a clash with Vancouver Whitecaps 2, where Colorado fought to a 3-2 victory. Logging goals for the club were Sam Bassett, Antony García, and Alex Harris, all three of which made their MLS NEXT Pro playoff debuts in the contest.
Next up on the journey for Colorado was a trip to California for a battle with the conference’s No. 2 seed, The Town FC. Rapids 2 were ready for a fight and needed to give every ounce of energy they had, as the match headed to extra time following a 2-2 stalemate at the end of regulation. Stepping up as the heroes for Colorado were García and Anderson Rosa, who each logged a goal in stoppage time to send their side to the Conference Final.
Following that nail biting finish was the Western Conference Final this past Sunday, where Rapids 2 had the opportunity to host MNUFC2. After conceding a goal in the first half, Colorado mounted a comeback that saw goals from Harris and James Cameron, giving the club the victory and the title of Western Conference Champions.
On the other end of Saturday’s final will be a tough Red Bulls II side that have dominated their way to this point in the season. After securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, New York continued their success in the playoffs, outscoring their opponents 12-6 up to this point. Saturday will mark the first time Rapids 2 will play an Eastern Conference team in club history.
