Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United FC
2018 MLS Regular Season - Week 17
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City
June 23 - 9 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+ MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

The Colorado Rapids snapped an eight-match losing streak, but their winless stretch extended to nine games after a 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire, while Minnesota United FC look to rebound from a 1-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16.

Minnesota have gone unbeaten in their two games against Colorado (1W-1D). In their only meeting in Colorado, the two sides played to a 2-2 draw.

Colorado Rapids

Colorado (2-9-3) raced out to a two-goal lead in the opening 15 minutes as Dominique Badji and Tommy Smith scored eight minutes apart, but the Rapids conceded twice in three minutes on a Danny Wilson own goal followed by an Aleksandar Katai goal in the 24th minute.

After four combined goals in the opening 24 minutes, the Rapids weren’t able to get the elusive winner despite Chicago ending with 10 men after Johan Kappelhof was sent off for his second bookable offense.

“In the end, when all is said and done, I’m happy that [the losing streak] stopped and we’ve stopped the bleeding. That was really important because psychologically we got a little break now as well,” Anthony Hudson said. “The most important thing is, after a run like this, we didn’t lose.”

Suspended: F - Yannick Boli
Suspended after next caution: D - Danny Wilson
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kortne Ford (left MLC sprain), D - Axel Sjoberg (concussion)

Projected Starting XI
(3-5-2, right to left)
GK: Tim Howard — Deklan Wynne, Danny Wilson, Tommy Smith — Marlon Hairston, Johan Blomberg, Jack Price, Sam Nicholson, Edgar Castillo — Dominique Badji, Jack McBean

Notes: The Rapids average 1.6 goals and 1.0 points per game in the five matches Marlon Hairston has played in this season (average 0.9 goals and 0.4 points in the nine games he has not). … The Rapids were outscored 19-5 during their eight-match losing streak.

Minnesota United FC

The equalizer was on the foot of the exact guy Minnesota United FC (5-8-1) wanted, but Darwin Quintero put his late penalty kick off the post and the Loons fell, 1-0, to Houston in the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” Adrian Heath said. “I thought it was a little bit too late. I learned a valuable lesson today about this group, both individually and collectively, that will certainly help us moving forward. We’ve got to the stage now where we have to start to make some difficult and hard decisions on people and that is what we will do. I think tonight will turn out to be a really good night in the long term.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Francisco Calvo, M - Rasmus Schuller
International duty: D - Francisco Calvo
Injury Report: OUT: M - Sam Cronin (cervicogenic dysfunction), M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL), M - Ethan Finlay (torn ACL), D - Marc Burch (left knee injury), GK - Matt Lampson (right knee injury), F - Abu Danladi (left leg injury); QUESTIONABLE: D - Jerome Thiesson (right leg injury), D - Eric Miller (left hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Bobby Shuttleworth — Tyrone Mears, Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Carter Manley — Collin Martin, Collen Warner, Rasmus Schuller — Miguel Ibarra, Christian Ramirez, Darwin Quintero

Notes: Minnesota have conceded just two headed goals in 2018. They allowed 14 headed goals in 2017, tied for the most in MLS that year. … The Loons have conceded an average of three goals per game over their last five road games, all of which were losses.

All-Time Series

Overall: Colorado Rapids 0 wins, 2 goals … Minnesota United FC 1 win, 3 goals … 1 draw
At Colorado: Rapids 0 wins, 2 goals … Minnesota United FC 0 wins, 2 goals … 1 draw
Last meeting at Colorado: Colorado Rapids 2, Minnesota United FC 2 (March 18, 2017)