Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United FC | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Ben Couch

Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United FC
2017 MLS Regular Season
Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Denver, Colorado
Saturday, March 18 - 9 p.m. ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE

The Colorado Rapids return home from a hard-luck, own-goal-only loss to the New York Red Bulls to host expansion side Minnesota United FC who have dropped their first two games by a combined mark of 11-2. The Rapids are notoriously stingy at home, especially with a healthy Tim Howard between the sticks – his seven saves against New York were an MLS single-game high in this young 2017 season.

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Colorado Rapids

The Rapids opened the season by – yet again – shutting out an opponent 1-0 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Then they nearly stole a nil-nil road point from the Red Bulls, and return to face a Minnesota squad that has proven a potent cure for any early-season goal-scoring ills. Though 2016 MLS Defender of the Year finalist Axel Sjoberg will miss at least 6-8 weeks with an hamstring injury, talent remains along the Rapids backline, and they're likely to prove a stiff test for the fledgling Loons.

Suspended: None
Int’l Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: GK - John Berner (wrist injury), D - Axel Sjoberg (hamstring)

Projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard (GK) — Marc Burch, Bobby Burling, Jared Watts, Eric Miller — Micheal Azira, Sam Cronin - Dominique Badji, Dillon Powers, Marlon Hairston – Caleb Calvert

Notes: Following Colorado’s 1-0 MLS Opening Weekend win over New England, the Rapids have now played 19 straight regular-season home games without conceding multiple goals (9 total goals conceded; 12-1-6).

Minnesota United FC

It's been a rough welcome to MLS for MNUFC, who played a competitive-until-the-final-15 in their opener before a deflating, 6-1 beatdown in their home debut against fellow expansion side Atlanta United. On the plus side, Christian "Superman" Ramirez earned his first start, and showed some potential in the attack alongside Kevin Molino and Johan Venegas. Don't expect a full return from everyone to start in last week's 4-1-4-1 as Adrian Heath keeps trying to conjure a winning combination.

Suspended:None
Int’l Duty:None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Bernardo Anor (hamstring injury); GK - John Alvbage (knee laceration), GK - Patrick McLain (head)

Projected Starting XI (4-1-4-1): GK: Bobby Shuttleworth — Jerome Thiessen, Vadim Demidov, Francisco Calvo, Jermaine Taylor — Collen Warner – Kevin Molino, Johan Venegas, Rasmus Schuller, Mohammed Saeid – Christian Ramirez

Notes: Jermaine Taylor was credited with eight interceptions last week for Minnesota, the second-most any MLS player has notched in a single game in the 2017 season so far.

All-Time Series

This is the first meeting between the two teams. Colorado, an MLS original, has been with the league since its 1996 inaugural season. Minnesota is playing their first MLS campaign after 40 years of developmental history.