Rapids 2 (2-7-1, 9 pts) will travel to Portland this weekend to take on Timbers2 (1-8-2, 7 pts) for the second time this season on Sunday, June 26 at Hillsboro Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast on www.mlsnextpro.com.
“I feel like collectively as a group we are excited for this match,” said Rapids 2 defender Omar Gomez. “We already played Timbers2 once and beat them 3-1. Ever since that game, we have been trying to improve. We focus real hard on what we can do better as a team to get those three points. Coming into this match we feel excited and we are up for the challenge and ready to get those three points.”
Colorado is fresh off a trip to Seattle that saw the team take on a dominant Tacoma Defiance for the second time this season. The team ended 90 minutes in a 4-1 loss to Seattle, who managed to put away three goals in the first 30 minutes of the match. Highlighting the Saturday night game was first team loan Philip Mayaka who logged his first goal of the season off of an assist from Cameroonian international Daouda Amadou. On the opposite end of the pitch, Academy product Isaac Nehme earned his first start of the season in goal while recording four saves in his professional debut.
This Sunday, Rapids 2 will travel alongside the Rapids first team to Portland to face off against Timbers2. The first time these two teams met at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium, the Rapids put up their first win of the season, earning three points in a 3-1 victory. Midfielder Yosuke Hanya kicked off the scoring for the night in the 6th minute followed by a 10th minute goal from first team loan Collen Warner. The third and final goal of the night was scored by Darren Yapi who put up his first MLS NEXT Pro goal against Timbers2, kicking off his position as the leading goal scorer for Rapids 2 this season.
“In that game (the last match versus Timbers2), we were able to get on the front foot early and that really helped shape the performance and ultimately the result,” said Rapids 2 head coach Erik Bushey. “We haven’t had many games where we have been able to do that, but we have steadily I think improved in terms of our organization defensively and our ability to sustain some possession. That is what we are going to seek to do against Portland. We are going to keep the ball a bit and be attack minded in that phase of play and we want to be difficult to break down. As we continue to make strides bit by bit, it is really about trying to put those good moments together. We want to put more of those good moments together and we have a better chance of getting a positive result.”
Portland is coming off of its first win of the season as they defeated Houston Dynamo 2 in a 2-1 victory last week at home. The Timbers will look to continue their three point push this week at Hillsboro Stadium against Rapids 2 who is still searching for their first road win of the season. The teams only sit two points away from one another in the league standings, making the Sunday night match a crucial win for both sides.
To view the full Rapids 2 schedule for the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season, click here.
