Colorado Rapids 2 are set for their Western Conference Semifinal match against The Town FC on Sunday, October 26, at PayPal Park. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. MT with coverage available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
After advancing through the first-round last weekend, both of these sides are preparing to fight for a spot in the Western Conference Final this Sunday. Colorado, the No. 3 seed in the conference, is entering the contest fresh off their 3-2 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, while The Town, the No. 2 seed, is feeling comfortable following a 3-0 clean sheet win over North Texas SC.
Following their matches this past weekend, The Town and Colorado were matched up against each other thanks to the MLS NEXT Pro Pick-Your-Opponent process. The top-seeded St. Louis CITY2 selected the lowest-seeded Minnesota United FC 2 for their matchup, leading to Rapids 2 having to head to California for this contest on Sunday.
Rapids 2, appearing in their first Conference Semifinal match since 2023, will look to continue their form based on their previous match against Vancouver. At DICK’S Sporting Goods Park last Sunday, Colorado put together an all-around performance, putting up three goals to defeat Whitecaps 2. Goals from Alex Harris, Antony García, and Sam Bassett lifted Rapids 2 to the victory in their MLS NEXT Pro playoff debuts.
Heading into Sunday, The Town cruised in their opening match of the playoffs with their win over North Texas. Similar to Colorado in their first match, the club saw three different goal scorers in Nick Fernandez, Missael Rodríguez, and Max Floriani.
Sunday will mark the second time that these two sides have faced off this season, with their first matchup coming back in May at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. The Town won that match 3-0, extending their five-match win streak at the time. Despite their loss in the first match against this opponent, Rapids 2 will look to continue their impressive road form that they have showed all season long. The club put up eight wins on the road this season, which was good for the second most in all of MLS NEXT Pro during the regular season.
This playoff matchup may be familiar to some, as it won't be the first time that these clubs have played a postseason match against each other. In 2023, Rapids 2 and The Town, then known as Earthquakes II, faced off in the Western Conference Semifinals in Colorado. That match was a hard-fought battle on both ends, but it would be Rapids 2 who would take the victory thanks to a late winner from Darren Yapi to advance to the Conference Final.
A win on Sunday would secure Rapids 2 a spot in the Western Conference Final for the second time in four seasons. If so, Colorado would match up against the winner of the St. Louis CITY2 and MNUFC2 next weekend. A St. Louis win would send Rapids 2 to Missouri for the match, while a Minnesota win would bring the Conference Final match to Colorado.
