COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Colorado Rapids 2 (12-2-5, 45 pts) will take on Whitecaps FC 2 (8-8-4, 30 pts) for the second time this season on Saturday, August 5, at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. MT and the game will be broadcast through MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Rapids 2 is looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Sporting KC II last weekend at Rock Chalk Park. Kansas City handed Colorado its second loss of the year in a 4-0 victory that saw the Rapids remain scoreless throughout 90 minutes of regulation.
The match opened in the early minutes with Kansas City notching its first goal of the night in just the 18th minute. The home side went on to put one more in the back of the net before the half, giving them a two-goal lead heading into the second half.
Rapids 2 came out strong with two back-to-back chances from Yosuke Hanya and Jackson Travis in the 51st minute to kick off a hopeful second half comeback. However, the team’s momentum was stifled by a weather delay that lasted nearly two and a half hours.
Following the delay, the Rapids seemed to be on the front foot, putting up a total of four shots on target in the remaining 35 minutes of play. The best chance of the half came during the 79th minute when Rémi Cabral made a run into the box to get a shot off from close distance. The initial shot was parried away by the Kansas City keeper Ethan Bandré allowing Cabral to grab the rebound for another go at goal that was safely collected by the goalkeeper
Ultimately, Sporting KC II was able to put away two more goals in the second half, putting the nail in Colorado’s potential comeback.
Highlighting the night was the debut of new Rapids 2 signing Jackson Walti. Walti, a midfielder, subbed on during the 71st minute of the match, making his first appearance for Rapids 2 just two days after signing with the club.
As Rapids 2 heads into its 20th match of the season, the team will look to get back on track to reclaim their spot at the top of the league’s standings. As it stands, Rapids 2 sits in first place in the Western Conference and second place in the overall league standings with a record of 12-2-5. This weekend’s match against Whitecaps FC 2 will be a crucial win for the team if they want to stay on track to finishing the season as the top contenders for the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro title.
