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MLS Colorado Rapids

Zardes Faces Hometown Club as Rapids Host LA Galaxy on Saturday

July 16, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - The Colorado Rapids (5-8-6, 21 pts) will face their third game in eight days as they host the LA Galaxy (8-8-3, 27 pts) at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, July 16 (7 p.m. MT; Altitude Sports, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM).

Robin Fraser's side enters Saturday's contest after rallying to a 1-1 draw at home against Orlando City SC on Wednesday night. Facundo Torres opened the scoring for the visitors in the 22nd minute before the Rapids leveled the match courtesy of a Gyasi Zardes goal in the 65th minute. Zardes' equalizer marked the second consecutive game the forward has recorded a goal or an assist and made him just the 13th player in MLS history to score 90 or more regular-season goals and the first MLS Homegrown Player to reach 90 career goals.

The Galaxy have lost three of their last four matches following a 3-2 defeat to San Jose on Wednesday. LA has conceded three goals in all three of those defeats and has let in three goals six times this season. Only San Jose and Vancouver (seven each) have allowed three or more goals in more matches in 2022. Serbian international forward Dejan Joveljic leads the Galaxy with eight goals this season, while forward Raheem Edwards has delivered six assists for the club. Goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has posted six shutouts on the year.

Colorado has enjoyed recent success against LA, currently unbeaten across their last seven MLS matches (5-0-2), which is tied for the longest unbeaten run by either team in the history of the series (LA went unbeaten for seven straight from July 1997 to March 1999). The last meeting between the two sides resulted in a 1-1 draw at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park: Rapids forward Michael Barrios opened the scoring in the 66th minute, but Samuel Grandsir salvaged a point for the Galaxy as he leveled the match in the 80th minute.

Saturday's match will see several familiar faces reunite. The Galaxy selected current Rapids head coach Robin Fraser with the fourth overall pick in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. Fraser would go on to make 129 regular-season appearances for Los Angeles from 1996-00. During his time, Fraser was named to the league's best XI four times (1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000) and was named MLS Defender of the Year in 1999 prior to being traded to Colorado ahead of the 2001 season. Zardes is also no stranger to the Galaxy as the Hawthorne, California, native signed as a Homegrown Player in 2012. He helped the club win the 2014 MLS Cup and made 147 regular-season appearances for LA, scoring 34 goals and assisting 17 from 2013-2017. Zardes was also a member of the Galaxy's U-18 and U-20 developmental rosters, where he led the U-20s to the national championship in 2010.

On the visitors' side, LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney, made nine starts for the Rapids in 2007, his lone season with the club after being acquired via trade with FC Dallas. Fraser and Vanney were teammates during their time at the Galaxy and later served as head coach and assistant coach, respectively, of Chivas USA between 2011-12. Fraser would later serve as Vanney's assistant coach during the pair's time as part of Toronto FC's technical staff between 2015-19. Jovan Kirovski, the Galaxy's technical director, was a member of the Rapids from 2005 to 2008, scoring 12 goals and delivering four assists over 61 regular-season appearances. Jason Bent, LA Galaxy assistant coach, made 51 appearances, scored two goals and delivered four assists for the Rapids from 1998-00. Cesar Roldan, LA Galaxy head athletic trainer, served as the head athletic trainer for the Rapids from 2016-18.

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