Overview | The Rapids look to avenge their only shutout of the season in their second meeting against the Houston Dynamo

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids (6-5-4, 22 pts.) will travel to Texas for their second clash against the Houston Dynamo FC (5-6-3, 18 pts.) on Wednesday. Kickoff at Shell Energy Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. MT (Apple TV – MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5FM).

In their second of three games over an eight-day span, the Rapids will look to get another positive result on the road in Houston. As this is the second time these two teams have met in 2024, Colorado aims to avenge the 1-0 loss at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park against this Houston group on March 20.

After more than 95 minutes of scoreless play in this match, Dynamo midfielder Brad Smith scored the only goal to secure all three points in injury time. Despite the defeat, the Rapids used many positives to launch a four-match unbeaten streak immediately afterwards. This result also marks the only match in which the Rapids have been shut out this season. In addition to numerous positive chances created in the final third, 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick Kimani Stewart-Baynes made his league debut in the competition after replacing Oliver Larraz in the 82nd minute.

The Rapids will enter Wednesday’s match having faced Minnesota United FC. Although Colorado faced a 3-1 deficit at the break, goals from Rafael Navarro and Kévin Cabral led the home team’s comeback to eventually tie things up at three apiece at the half-time whistle. -time.

Cabral’s two-goal performance marked his first double in MLS, bringing his season tally to three goals and earning him a place on the MLS Team of the Match bench for Matchday 16. Meanwhile, Navarro’s goal extended his historic streak, tying him with Omar. Cummings is only the second Rapids player since 2010 to record a five-game goal streak. Navarro is now just one goal away from equaling John Spencer’s club record for longest consecutive match scoring streak, Spencer having achieved the feat in six consecutive matches for the club in 2003.

In a thrilling finale, the Rapids recovered from a 3-1 deficit in the final 30 minutes to secure a 3-3 draw against Minnesota. This result ended a 19-game losing streak when they trailed by several goals and marked only the sixth occasion in the team’s history, and the first at home, where the Rapids managed to avoid the defeat despite being behind by several goals after the hour.

Colorado will travel to Houston to face a team determined to get back to winning ways. Dynamo are winless in their last three matches, with their most recent result being a 2-1 loss to LA Galaxy. Houston will also look to earn its first win at Shell Energy Stadium in about two months, with its last home win coming in a 2-1 result against San Jose on March 30.

Wednesday’s midweek match will mark a historic moment for the Rapids, as it will be their 900th MLS regular season match. Additionally, midfielder Djordje Mihailovic is 25 minutes away from surpassing 10,000 MLS regular season minutes for his career.

The Rapids own the all-time MLS regular season series between these two teams, posting a 15-12-13 all-time record against the Dynamo.

The match may evoke memories as home defender Sam Vines delivered his first MLS assist and defender Lalas Abubakar scored his first goal for the Rapids, both in a home match against the Houston Dynamo on September 9, 2020. Additionally, local midfielder Oliver Larraz made his MLS debut against the Houston Dynamo on May 15, 2021, while midfielder Jasper Löffelsend made his MLS debut on February 27, 2022, against at Dynamo as a member of RSL.

Club connections are abundant in this match, including Rapids head coach Chris Armas and Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen, who together represented the US national team and recorded 17 appearances alongside each other from 1999 to 2005. Armas also has ties to Dynamo assistant coach. Aurélien Collin from his time at the New York Red Bulls in 2018, where Armas coached Collin. Additionally, he coached Dynamo defender Griffin Dorsey in two matches in Toronto in 2021.

On the pitch, several players share a Columbus Crew history: Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen and Dynamo midfielder Artur played together in 68 games from 2017 to 2019, while Rapids defender Lalas Abubakar and midfielder Dynamo midfielder Artur teamed up in 27 matches from 2017 to 2018. Notably, Rapids forward Kévin Cabral and Dynamo defender Daniel Steres were teammates at LA Galaxy in 2021, playing 13 matches together. These intertwined relationships create an interesting narrative for the upcoming match.