Colorado Rapids 2 – 2, Houston Dynamo 2 - 1
MLS NEXT Pro Match Week 18 | Sunday, July 6, 2025
DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
The Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (8-6-3, 27 pts.) defeated Houston Dynamo 2 (5-7-4, 22 pts.) in a 2-1 result at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Sunday night. Goals from Sydney Wathuta and Mamadou Billo Diop highlighted the team’s first of three home matches in July.
The game kicked off with both teams trading half chances in the first 15 minutes.
Colorado’s first strong chance came in the 18th minute from a through ball to the feet of winger Kimani Stewart-Baynes who took on and beat Houston’s left-sided defenseman to play a low cross to midfielder Wathuta. Wathuta’s first-time shot was saved on the goal line by Houston Dynamo 2’s goalkeeper.
Colorado’s second quality opportunity came from a high-arching ball that forward Diop collected after boxing out a Houston defender. Diop and another Houston defender raced towards the goal and the Rapids 2 forward was able to get off a strike, which went wide after receiving significant contact from the defender.
A few moments later the game was delayed in the 31st minute of the match due to severe weather in the area.
When the game got back underway just over an hour later, it started similar to the first 15 minutes with no significant chances coming before the end of the half to keep the score 0-0.
Rapids 2 created the first chance of the second half after winning the ball high up the pitch in the 47th minute. Diop picked up the ball and fired a shot to the bottom left corner that was steered wide by Houston’s goalkeeper.
Two minutes later Rapids 2 would be on the attack again. Defender Anderson Rosa found himself with the ball on the left wing with a pass from first team midfielder Sam Bassett. Rosa’s first crossing attempt would be blocked, but he retained possession and served another ball into the box which found a diving Wathuta who would get his head to the ball and send it into the right side of the net.
The goal marked Wathuta’s fourth of the season, making him Rapids 2’s joint top-scorer in 2025, matching Stewart-Baynes and Rapids Academy forward Colton Swan’s totals. Wathuta also matched Swan’s team-high six goal contributions on the season with the goal.
Rosa earned his second assist of the season on the play.
In the 57th minute, Wathuta would find himself in the action again with a long ball over Houston's backline that he tracked down. On track to goal, Wathuta was pulled down from behind by Houston defender Isaac Mwakatuya who received a red card for the foul, putting Houston at nine men for the remainder of the night.
Rapids 2 would make three changes in the 62nd minute of the game with midfielder Ali Fadal, forward Alex Harris, and winger Antony Garcia coming on to the pitch. Fadal and Harris both returned to play after extended absences due to injury.
Colorado found momentum in the game and scored a second goal off the foot of Diop in the 68th minute. The goal began from the back with goalkeeper Adam Beaudry serving a long throw that found darting winger Antony García who quickly played a through ball to Diop. The young forward found himself alone with just the keeper to beat. Diop calmly tapped the ball around the keeper and shot the ball into an empty net to put the Rapids up 2-0.
The goal was Diop’s fourth of the season, tying Wathuta, Stewart-Baynes, and Swan for the team lead.
Garcia was credited with an assist on the play, earning him his third of the season. The assist ties Bassett, Harris, and Rapids Academy midfielder Noah Strellnauer for the team lead.
Houston would answer with a break of their own, putting the ball in the back of the net with a backheel finish off a deflected cross in the 70th minute.
In the remaining minutes of the game both teams created attacking chances, but no more goals would be scored.
The game ended with a final score of 2-1 to kick off Colorado’s three-match home stand.
Rapids 2 will return home to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Sunday, July 13. Kickoff is sent for 6:00 p.m. MT with coverage on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Scoring Summary:
COL – Sydney Wathuta (Anderson Rosa) 49’
COL – Mamadou Billo Diop (Antony García) 68’
HOU – Stefan Annor Gyamfi 70’
Notables:
- F Sydney Wathuta and Mamadou Billo Diop recorded their fourth goals of the season to tie Colton Swan and Kimani Stewart-Baynes for the lead in team goals.
- Wathuta’s goal contributions for the year now stands at six (4 goals, 2 assists) to tie Swan for the team lead so far in 2025.
- F Antony García recorded his third assist of the season to tie Alex Harris, Noah Strellnauer and Sam Bassett for the team lead in assists.
- D Anderson Rosa added his second assist of the season on Wathuta’s 49th minute goal.
- First team goalkeeper Adam Beaudry recorded his 15th all-time win playing for Rapids 2, tying Abraham Rodriguez for the most all-time wins by a Rapids 2 goalkeeper in club history.
- First team midfielder Ali Fadal and forward Alex Harris made their return from injury, appearing as substitutes in the 62nd minute.
- First team midfielder Wayne Frederick made his first appearance with Rapids 2 since May 25 in the team’s match against The Town FC.
- First team midfielder Sam Bassett made his first appearance with Rapids 2 since the team’s last match against Houston Dynamo 2 on May 9.
