Colorado Rapids 2 – 2, Real Monarchs - 1
MLS NEXT Pro Match Week 11 | Sunday, May 18, 2025
DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
The Big Picture
Colorado Rapids 2 (5-3-2, 17 pts.) defeated rivals Real Monarchs (2-2-3, 10 pts.) by a final score of 2-1 on Sunday Night. The home side earned three points in MLS NEXT Pro’s rendition of the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Colorado came flying out of the gates at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. Rapids 2 opened the scoring in the eighth minute with forward Mamadou Billo Diop playing a ball over Monarchs backline which was collected by forward Alex Harris. Harris centered the ball that found the foot of winger Sydney Wathuta who only needed one touch to find the back of the vacant net.
This goal marks the first of Wathuta’s professional career in his first start for Rapids 2. Harris’ unselfishness earned him his third assist of the season. Diop, who was also credited with an assist in the build-up brings his season total to two.
Salt Lake grew into the game after the goal and created chances down the wings. The Rapids 2 defense held up with defender Charlie Harper making four decisive blocks and goalkeeper Adam Beaudry coming up with a strong punch as the Monarchs kept attempting to whip the ball into the box.
Rapids 2 continued to create chances in the first half, earning a free kick just outside the box. Wathuta struck the dead ball which deflected off the Salt Lake wall, glancing just wide off the post. The strike earned a corner and nothing more.
Just before the end of the first half Real Monarchs leveled the match off the foot of Ruben Mesalles in the 45th minute.
With the late goal to round out the first half, the two sides went into the break even at one goal apiece.
With the score still locked at one all, Colorado was reduced to ten men in the 79th minute. Charlie Harper received his second yellow card of the match, resulting in a red card.
As the game clock neared the 90th minute, Beaudry came up with a diving save to his left on a shot from outside the box. Moments later he was called into action again, making a kick save on a close-range strike.
In the final minute of added time Colorado won a free kick near midfield. From the kick, the ball floated into the box and Matthew Senanou was taken down with the referee's decision being a penalty.
Substitute Kimani-Stewart-Baynes stepped up to the spot with first team confidence. As the forward struck the ball, the Real Monarchs goalkeeper dove to his left and had just enough time to look up and see the forwards’ panenka cross the line.
Stewart-Baynes' goal marks his fourth of the season in eight appearances, making him the Rapids 2 leading scorer in 2025.
As the final whistle blew there was elation for Rapids 2, and despair for Real Monarchs. The game ended 2-1 in favor of Colorado.
Rapids 2 play next on Sunday, May 25, against The Town FC at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MT with coverage on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Notables:
- F Sydney Wathuta recorded the first goal of his professional career after scoring in the eighth minute.
- F Kimani Stewart-Baynes recorded his fourth goal of the season in his eighth appearance of 2025 with Rapids 2 in MLS NEXT Pro.
- Stewart-Baynes leads Rapids 2 in goals scored in 2025.
- F Alex Harris logged his third assist of the season on Wathuta’s goal.
- The forward has now recorded four goal contributions in his last four matches (2g, 2a)
- F Mamadou Billo Diop recorded his second assist of the season on Wathuta’s goal.
- GK Adam Beaudry made his return to game action after being sidelined for the past month with an ankle injury.
Post-Match Quote Transcriptions:
COLORADO RAPIDS 2 HEAD COACH ERIK BUSHEY
On the match...
"An exciting ending and a brave penalty by Kimani [Stewart-Baynes]. Ultimately it was a good game. I felt at halftime it was a good game. I feel it was a deserved result. I was really pleased with the way our guys defended, the way we remained aggressive throughout, even when we went down to 10-men. I thought we were really dangerous and attacking in transition and I thought a lot of guys really played with bravery and composure. It was a tough match. It was an enjoyable game to coach. I'm sure it was an enjoyable game to play and I'm really happy for the guys to come off with three points. It's a big game at home against Real Monarchs. A big game for our club."
On Sydney Wathuta...
“It was his first start. He came off the bench in game one against Austin, had a great impact and then got injured. He's played 34 minutes on two substitute appearances but he's come back. We're really excited to get him into the first 11. He was one of the best, if not the best player in training this past week. He has some real special qualities and you saw some of that on display tonight. For him to go about 60 minutes or so was a big success. Seeing him impact the game was wonderful. The work to get in position to score what ultimately was a tap in, but an extra pass played by Alex [Harris]. I believe that was a great team goal, but awesome for him."
On Kimani Stewart-Baynes...
“There are probably a few different words that you can use on his penalty, but we'll just stick with brave for now. I'm really pleased for Kimani [Stewart-Baynes]. I think at the start of our season he looked like a more mature player in a lot of different ways. He was also productive at the same time. In the last couple games, a little bit less so, but we have addressed it. He's taking feedback and he believes in himself, rightly so. He is a talented young man, and I think if he can put a few things together in terms of his overall game throughout the course of 90 minutes then he could be a real dangerous player. He is a dangerous player, but I think he can be a dangerous player consistently. I think he knows that's a big part that he has to work on. The best players can do things consistently. Tonight, it was a different role. He had a little bit of an injury this week which kept him out a couple of days so for him to come off the bench for the second team is also a first experience -- another reason why I'm really proud of him. He could have taken that a lot of different ways and when he came on, he was positive, impactful, and he got the goal. Really we all got the reward because it meant we won the game."
COLORADO RAPIDS FORWARD KIMANI STEWART-BAYNES
On his penalty...
"Honestly I wasn't thinking about anything. I just knew I had to put the ball in the back of the net and bring home the three points for the boys."
On beating Salt Lake...
"Yeah definitely. Especially with the first team getting three points yesterday, I felt like we had a job to do with the second team. It's a reflection of this club and the rivalry we have with Salt Lake. So obviously it meant a little bit more, but I go into every match thinking the same thing. Just get three points."
On scoring goals for Rapids 2...
"I feel more confident this season. I know I haven't been getting a lot of opportunities with the first team, but I feel like we have to play our role, which is coming out here and doing my job. I'm a first team player so I've got to represent them well. This year whatever the opportunity you've got to make the most of it. Whether with the first team or second team, I do my job."
