Colorado Rapids 2 (2-13-5, 12 pts., 14th West) end their road show in Los Angeles to take on LAFC 2 (7-5-7, 31 pts., 5th West) on Friday, July 31. Kickoff at Titan Stadium is set for 8:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com.
Rapids 2 enter the weekend looking to rebound after a hard-fought road match against Tacoma Defiance. The hosts found the breakthrough in the 30th minute before doubling their advantage from the penalty spot early in the second half. Colorado found a lifeline in the 75th minute when Tacoma was shown a red card for a handball in the box, earning Rapids 2 both a penalty kick and a man advantage. Sydney Wathuta converted the spot kick to cut the home team’s lead in half, sparking a late surge from Colorado. Rapids 2 continued to press and created several dangerous opportunities in search of an equalizer, but Tacoma held on to secure a 2-1 result.
Amid the action, Rapids 2 celebrated two notable individual achievements. Wathuta's composed finish from the penalty spot marked his second goal of the season and the eighth of his Rapids 2 career. The match also featured another milestone, as Bryan Dowd made both his Rapids 2 debut and his first start for the club.
Next up for Rapids 2 is a matchup with LAFC 2 who are coming off their seventh shootout of the season, the latest against North Texas SC. Despite taking the early lead and going up 2-0 shortly after, North Texas fought back and, with the help of a penalty kick awarded in first half stoppage time, brought the match back to level. With neither side able to separate itself by the final whistle, the match was decided from the penalty spot. LAFC 2 prevailed 4-1 in the shootout to secure the extra point.
Rapids 2 and LAFC 2 met just once during the 2025 campaign, with Colorado traveling west for a tightly contested battle. LAFC 2 struck first late in the opening half from the penalty spot, but Rapids 2 responded almost immediately, evening the score before the halftime whistle to send the sides into the break deadlocked at 1-1. The hosts reclaimed the advantage after halftime, yet Colorado once again found an answer through a penalty conversion to restore parity. The deadlock was ultimately broken in the 79th minute when LAFC 2 converted a second-half penalty, and despite Rapids 2's continued push in the closing stages, the visitors were unable to find a late equalizer.