Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 23
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City
August 4 - 9 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Two teams going in different directions in the Western Conference meet at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park when the struggling Colorado Rapids host the surging LA Galaxy.

The Rapids are winless in their last five games, suffering a 2-1 defeat at D.C. United last Saturday, while the Galaxy are soaring, unbeaten in nine straight after a thrilling 4-3 win over Orlando City SC Sunday.

The Galaxy have won three of their last four league games in Colorado (1L), as many wins as they had in their previous 18 games there (10L-5D), per Opta.

Colorado Rapids

Colorado (4-12-5) appeared on the verge of a third consecutive draw when Kellyn Acosta canceled out an first-half Wayne Rooney goal to level the match with just eight minutes left. It was the first goal for both teams' newest signings.

But an own goal by Niki Jackson at the death gave the hosts a 2-1 win and resulted in another last-minute loss for the Rapids.

“First of all, disappointment to concede at the end like we did. It’s a devastating way to finish off considering all the hard work they put into the game to get back into it,” Anthony Hudson said. “I thought the first goal was a really soft goal. I think we put ourselves in a hole, we didn’t start incredibly strong. But, beyond that, I thought for periods of the game we actually played some really good football.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Danny Wilson
International duty: None
Injury Report: None

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-2-1-2, right to left)
GK: Tim Howard — Kortne Ford, Axel Sjoberg, Tommy Smith, Edgar Castillo — Danny Wilson — Kellyn Acosta, Johan Blomberg — Jack Price — Giles Barnes, Sam Nicholson

Notes: In his first game with the Rapids, Acosta took six shots, becoming the fifth different Colorado player to take at least six shots in a MLS game since the start of 2016. ... Colorado have allowed exactly two goals in eight of their last 10 MLS matches, going 2W-5L-3D in that time.

LA Galaxy

In a wild seven-goal affair, Zlatan Ibrahimovic shined brightest for the LA Galaxy (10-7-5) with his first career MLS hat trick, lifting his squad to a 4-3 win over Orlando City SC Sunday night at StubHub Center.

The Galaxy roared back from three deficits, with Gio dos Santos and Ibrahimovic both leveling in each half before Zlatan struck for the winner in the 71st minute, to lead the Galaxy to a wild 4-3 win that thrilled the crowd and was tough on his head coach.

“I told the team just now after the game, if we keep doing this, I'll be 90 by the time the season's over,” the 65-year-old Schmid said. “It's great for the fans, great for TV and all that stuff, but it's really hard on me emotionally.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Michael Ciani
International duty: None
Unavailable: F - Zlatan Ibrahimovic (per MLS policy)
Injury Report: OUT: D - Rolf Feltscher (shoulder surgery)

Projected Starting XI
(3-4-1-2, right to left)
GK: David Bingham — Dave Romney, Michael Ciani, Jorgen Skjelvik — Chris Pontius, Perry Kitchen, Jonathan dos Santos, Ashley Cole — Giovani dos Santos — Ola Kamara, Roman Alessandrini

Notes: David Bingham has kept three clean sheets in road games this season, the most by any Galaxy keeper since Jaime Penedo recorded four in 2014. ... Since the start of June, the Galaxy are 5W-0L-4D in MLS play, tallying 19 points and scoring 25 goals. Only three other teams have 20+ goals in that time.

All-Time Series

Overall: Colorado Rapids 25 wins, 80 goals … LA Galaxy 37 wins, 115 goals … 10 draws
At Colorado: Rapids 18 wins, 48 goals … Galaxy 13 wins, 44 goals … 5 draws
Last meeting at Colorado: Colorado Rapids 1, LA Galaxy 3 (June 21, 2017)