Rapids 1 Try To Follow Up Rapids 2 Dominance

Combined pre-game picture of Colorado soccer

As promised, a quick recap on last night's RapiDos Open Cup match before we get on to the preview of tomorrow night's league match.  Rapids 2 had a rather easy night of it, running out 3-0 winners over Azteca.  By no means was Azteca a pushover, but it also never really felt like they were a threat to win either.  Certainly when 2 got their second goal from a Seb Anderson corner just before half you felt like they had the game in hand.  

Four first team players got the start for Rapids 2, Anderson, Adam Beaudry, Kimani Stewart-Baynes, and Wayne Fredrick  Anderson and KSB came off at half, with Seb being replaced by fellow first-teamer Jackson Travis, and Wayne Fredrick came off in the 73rd after picking up an assist on the third goal.  Beaudry played the full 90 in goal, Michael Edwards was not part of the gameday roster.

Today Rapids 2 found out they'll host the Northern Colorado Hailstorm (who beat Union Omaha on Tuesday) in the 2nd round.  That game will be played on April 3rd.  I'm unavailable that night so I'm hoping for a win and another chance of hosting in the 3rd round.

Now, onto the first-team and their match tomorrow night.  The Dynamo are in town for this one, for their first road game of the year.  Much like the Sounders last week they come in with a couple of key pieces questionable for the match and if hey can't go the Rapids have a good chance of getting their first home win.  Kickoff for this one is the normal 7:30pm.

Player Availability:

OUT: Conor Ronan (knee), Moise Bombito (Canadian National Team)

QUESTIONABLE: Jasper Löffelsend (hamstring)

No surprises here.  Ronan is still a few weeks out and they are likely easing Löffelsend back.  Bombito will be playing tomorrow night in Dallas in the Copa America qualification playoff.

With the injures its a little hard to know how Armas will line them up.  I would hope that Diack finally gets a start in this one but since he didn't last week I went with the assumption he wouldn't this week.  I don't think Yapi worked as a winger so I expect if Diack doesn't start then we'll see both Harris and Fernandez on the wings.  Abubakar is the obvious fill-in for Bombito.

Prediction: 1-0 win, goal by Navarro.  Yeah, I'm out over my skies on this one.  But Houston has been busy and a road trip to altitude is not how they get back on their game.  So far they've played a 1-0 win, a 2-1 loss, and a 1-1 draw.  Combined with the Rapids good defense after that first half in Portland I don't expect much scoring.  The home side gets their first shutout of the season and their first home win.