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MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids Look for Fourth-Straight Victory in Road Battle against Sporting Kansas City

September 17, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - The Colorado Rapids (14-9-5, 47 pts.) head to Children's Mercy Park for a midweek match against Sporting Kansas City (7-17-7, 28 pts.) on Wednesday night. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. MT (Apple TV - MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 950AM).

The match will mark the second time that these two sides have faced off this season, with the Rapids taking all three points in a 2-1 victory at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park on July 4. The first professional goal for Oliver Larraz and a stoppage-time (hyphenate because it's a modifier of penalty) penalty kick from Djordje Mihailovic were enough to give Colorado the victory at home.

Since these two MLS charter clubs started facing off in 1996, Kansas City has not played any other opponent in league play more than the Rapids with 84 contests against the club. In that span, SKC owns the all-time record with a 33-25-26 record. Despite the advantage for Kansas City in the all-time record, Colorado has had a majority of the success as of late. The Rapids have won the last two contests and are unbeaten in six of their last seven matches against their opponent this Saturday.

Even more recently, the Rapids have been in impressive form in MLS play following Leagues Cup in their two matches. The club won their first match on the road in thrilling fashion against FC Dallas, with Darren Yapi scoring a stoppage-time (hyphenate because it's a modifier of winner) winner backed by a brace from Rafael Navarro for a 2-3 victory at Toyota Stadium.

Just three days ago was another victory that saw the Rapids best the Portland Timbers, 2-1, at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park. Goals from Jonathan Lewis and Navarro were enough to take all three points and move up to third in the Western Conference. Mihailovic registered assists on both goals to earn Team of the Matchweek honors in MLS for the fifth time this season. Those assists continued the historic season for the Olympian, as they were his 21st and 22nd goal contributions of the year, putting him past John Spencer (2001) and Mark Chung (2002) for the second-most in a single regular season in club history.

On the other end of Wednesday's contest is a Sporting Kansas City side that is coming towards the end of their up-and-down season in 2024. The club sits at 12th in the Western Conference with 28 points and 11 out of the last playoff spot (I think I'm misreading but I don't understand this part). Their last contest was a loss against Seattle on the road, 2-0. On the other hand, Kansas City is unbeaten in their five matches at home in MLS play with a +7 goal differential and two clean sheets.

The ties between these clubs run deep. SKC head coach Peter Vermes, once a Rapids player, logged over 7,700 minutes for Colorado from 1997 to 1999. Rapids midfielder Jonathan Lewis and SKC forward Khiry Shelton were former NYCFC teammates in 2017, while Zack Steffen and SKC's Erik Thommy played together at Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2019. Most recently, Rapids midfielder Cole Bassett and SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp were U-23 U.S. Youth National Team teammates in November 2023.

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