COLORADO RAPIDS vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
DICK'S SPORTING GOODS PARK | Commerce City, Colo.
August 6, 2016 | Week 22 | MLS Game #224
9 pm ET (MLS LIVE, TSN, Altitude)
A crucial match in the Western Conference playoff chase is ahead when the Colorado Rapids entertain Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids return home after seeing their club-record 15-game undefeated streak put to an end last weekend in a 5-1 loss at New York City FC, still sitting in second place in the West. Whitecaps FC continue their road swing after a draw and a loss on a two-game Texas swing, last a 2-0 defeat at FC Dallas, sitting right on the red line in sixth place in the conference.
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- The Rapids saw their 15-game undefeated streak – tied for fifth-longest in MLS history – put to an end in their 5-1 loss at New York City FC on Saturday afternoon. It was the most goals allowed in a game by Colorado since a 5-1 loss at Real Salt Lake on Sept. 19, 2014. Coming into the match, the Rapids had allowed 14 goals for the entire 2016 season, over their first 20 games.
- Whitecaps FC saw their four-game undefeated run put to an end, finishing a two-game Texas road swing without scoring a goal, following their 2-0 loss at FC Dallas on Sunday evening.
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Rapids center back Axel Sjoberg scored deep in second-half stoppage time, leaving the teams in a 2-2 draw July 9 at BC Place.
- The teams met three times a season ago, and the home team won each. The Rapids won twice at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a 1-0 win on May 23, and a a 2-1 win July 4. Whitecaps FC took a 2-0 win Sept. 9 in the lone matchup at BC Place.
- The Rapids have won the last five meetings between the teams at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Whitecaps FC won there in 2012 for their lone triumph on the Rapids’ home ground. The Rapids' win on April 5, 2014 in Vancouver was their second victory ever at BC Place, now in eight visits all time.
REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): Ian Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Kevin Klinger; 4th: Younes Marrakchi
MLS Career: 89 games; FC/gm: 24.0; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 29; pens: 31
SUSPENDED: COL: Micheal Azira (through Aug. 7)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: COL: Shkelzen Gashi
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: COL: Axel Sjoberg, Jared Watts, Jermaine Jones, Eric Miller … VAN: Pa-Modou Kah, Blas Perez, Matias Laba, Kendall Waston, Andrew Jacobson
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (15 meetings): Rapids 8 wins, 20 goals … Whitecaps FC 5 wins, 18 goals … Ties 2
AT COLORADO (7 meetings): Rapids 6 wins, 12 goals … Whitecaps FC 1 win, 5 goals … Ties 0
FUTURE MATCH: 9/24: Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 4 p.m. PT
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Rapids center back Axel Sjoberg scored deep in second-half stoppage time, leaving the teams in a 2-2 draw July 9 at BC Place.
- The teams met three times a season ago, and the home team won each. The Rapids won twice at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a 1-0 win on May 23, and a a 2-1 win July 4. Whitecaps FC took a 2-0 win Sept. 9 in the lone matchup at BC Place.
- The Rapids have won the last five meetings between the teams at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Whitecaps FC won there in 2012 for their lone triumph on the Rapids’ home ground. The Rapids win April 5, 2014 in Vancouver was their second victory ever at BC Place, now in eight visits all-time.
- Coaches record: Carl Robinson vs. COL: P7 W2 L4 D1 … Pablo Mastroeni vs. VAN: P7 W4 L2 D1
LAST MEETING (MLS):
7/9: VAN 2, COL 2 (Waston 10; Techera 87 – K. Doyle 59; Sjoberg 95+)
- Whitecaps FC took the lead after just 10 minutes via Kendall Waston's glancing header from close range from a Christian Bolanos cross from the right. But the Rapids leveled just before the hour mark on a well-constructed team goal, finished by Kevin Doyle with an angled drive.
- The Rapids went a man down in the 71st minute when fullback Eric Miller was sent off with a straight red card after a rash challenge. They then went a goal down in the 87th minute when center back Jared Watts was adjudged to have fouled Cristian Techera in the box, and Techera converted his own penalty.
- But the Rapids answered back yet one more time, Kevin Doyle flighting a short cross to the back post where center back Axel Sjoberg popped up with a last-gasp header from close range for the equalizer.
- VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC (4-4-1-1): David Ousted - Jordan Smith, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey - Christian Bolanos, Matias Laba, Andrew Jacobson, Pedro Morales (Cristian Techera 80) - Kekuta Manneh (Erik Hurtado 43) - Blas Perez (Nicolas Mezquida 65).
- COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard - Eric Miller (ejected 71), Jared Watts, Axel Sjoberg, Mekeil Williams - Sam Cronin, Micheal Azira - Marco Pappa (Marc Burch 74), Dillon Powers (Luis Solignac 84), Shkelzen Gashi (Marlon Hairston 79) - Kevin Doyle.
